P.E.I. Humane Society offers microchip clinic to pet owners

It was a win-win situation for pet owners and the P.E.I. Humane Society at a clinic in a Charlottetown pet store on Saturday.

The clinic helped raise funds for the humane society and 40 pet owners were able to have their cats or dogs microchipped at a reduced cost by a veterinarian.

Matt and Stephanie Duffy had their two dogs microchipped for $25 each, which is less than half the cost.

"It's a great peace of mind knowing that if they do ever get out, hopefully they will make it back to us, that's important," said Stephanie Duffy. 

Allan Waite said he would never have considered having a microchip put in his dog until it ran away recently.

"I never, like I've had animals before, with a tag and stuff, but this is the first one I've lost you know...that lost her collar and her tag," said Waite adding it was more good luck than good management that he got the dog back.

Jennifer Harkness, development coordinator with the P.E.I. Humane Society, said there are plans to have more clinics for pets to get microchipped because it has proven to work in reuniting lost pets with their owners.  

"It happened just recently, we had a cat come into the shelter, when we called the owner she informed us this cat has been missing for two years." said Harkness.

"Luckily that cat had a microchip. If it didn't have a microchip, there's no way that anybody would know that that cat was at the shelter. It would have been adopted to a new family and they never would have had their cat back."

Harkness said more and more pet owners are choosing to microchip their cats and dogs, a reason to take found animals to the P.E.I. Humane Society or to a local veterinarian.