Free microchip clinics still in full swing

Valley Press Senior Feature Writer ^ | RICH BREAULT

[BenLurkin]

A chip on the shoulder can be a good thing - if you're a dog.

A second series of free microchip clinics will be at the Los Angeles Department of Animal Car and Control's Lancaster Shelter at 5210 West Ave. I.

The Board of Supervisors recently approved an ordinance requiring all dogs older than 4 months in unincorporated areas of the county to be implanted with identifying microchips and be spayed or neutered.

The ordinance became effective June 3, but has a three-month grace period in order to allow dog owners time to have their dogs microchipped and spayed or neutered.

More than 4,100 dogs were microchipped during the first series of clinics at the six county shelters. Clinics will continue during July and August.

"The program is going well at our shelter," said Lt. Alex Flores of Animal Control. "One of the downtown shelters already was able to reunite a dog and owners due to the microchip that was just put in days before."

The microchipping at the clinics is free.

The clinics provide the free microchip and lifetime registration. The cost of the same services at a veterinarian's office run about $60 per dog.

Each chip, which comes in a prepackaged, sterile syringe, is about the size of a grain of rice. They are made of inert bioplastic, so they won't cause adverse reactions in the animal.

The chip is injected between a dog's shoulder blades and won't travel in the body.

The Found Animal Foundation of Los Angeles donated the cost of the microchip and lifetime registration for 1 million dogs in Los Angeles County.

Each microchip has a code number embedded in it.

When a special hand-held scanner is passed over the area the scanner displays its unique code number, that contains the owner contact information.

[BenLurkin]

"The Los Angeles County Board of Supervisors recently approved an ordinance requiring all dogs older than 4 months in unincorporated areas of the county to be implanted with identifying microchips and be spayed or neutered."

I woof Big Brother!

[garyhope]

At first I thought this was a new Intel or AMD CPU to go along with all the free computers, digital cameras, Viagra and penis enhancers (not that I would need those of course) and no down payment real estate to go along with the millions of dollars from Nigeria that are pouring into my mailbox everyday.

What am I going to do with all of that stuff and FREE money? Am I lucky or what?!!! The free beer is on me! Ya'll come on down!