Pet protection boosted with microchip drive

Pet lovers gathered on April 12 for a “pawsome” community initiative aimed at keeping furry companions safe.

Organised by the Little Falls and Strubens Valley Residential Community (LIFCO), in collaboration with Beagle Watch Armed Response and Cuddles and Bubbles Mobile Pet Grooming, the microchipping event took place from 9:00 to 13:00 behind the SPAR in Geldenhuys Street.

Also read: Beagle Watch team up with KCVA responsible pet care day

The event focused on a crucial but often overlooked aspect of pet safety – microchipping, and the goal was to ensure that every pet has a permanent form of identification that can help reunite lost animals with their owners quickly and efficiently.

“The reason why we do these microchipping events is to ensure that pets are microchipped and registered so that if they do go astray or get out of the properties, we can then reunite them with their owners faster,” explained Karin Barrett, founder of Cuddles and Bubbles.

“When pets are not microchipped, it becomes very difficult to try and locate the owners. We have to jump onto social media or WhatsApp groups and try to spread the word. But when a dog is microchipped and registered on a database, we simply scan the chip, retrieve the owner’s details, and make the call, ‘we found Fido; please come and fetch your baby’.”

Microchipping involves inserting a tiny chip – about the size of a grain of rice – just under the pet’s skin. This chip carries a unique identification number that links to the pet owner’s contact details on a secure database. It’s a quick, painless procedure that can make all the difference in an emergency.

For more information or to book a microchipping appointment, residents can visit the LIFCO Facebook page to get updates on future events.