MARINE CORPS BASE CAMP LEJEUNE, N.C. -- Dogs and cats qualify as family members to many. If a furry loved one were to ever go missing, it could cause a lot of stress and worry for a family. Collars provide information on a pet’s home, but new-age microchips have begun to replace those tags.
Animal Control personnel and Base veterinarians with Marine Corps Base Camp Lejeune have scheduled animal registration events to ensure every pet residing in base housing is checked into their system.
“The goal of this event is to get every pet registered,” said Sgt. Michael Newson, a policeman with the Provost Marshal’s Office. “We teamed up to support (Atlantic Marine Corps Communities) with the registration event.”
If an animal were to go missing and didn’t have a collar or tag, pet owners could feel reassured knowing their pets have microchips containing a designated number that can be used to search for the animal’s information on the specific microchip company’s database.
It’s very import to have pets registered so there’s accountability for every animal, explained Adam Guringo, a resident of Midway Park military housing. He stressed the fact that chips are great to have because you never know when a pet could go missing.
The microchips are about the size of a grain of rice. They are implanted between the shoulder blades and under the skin of the animals. After the microchips are placed, the pets are then registered with the microchip company. Hand held devices, which use radio waves, can recover the alphanumeric code specific to each microchip.
“If a pet is brought in and has a (microchip), the animals are scanned, and the owners are immediately contacted,” said Newson. “One hundred percent of the time animals found that have these microchips are returned back to their homes.”
Unlike the standard pet collar and tag, microchips are built to last as long as the life of the pet.
Tarawa Terrace Veterinarian Clinic will have purchasable microchips available at the registration events for a discounted price.
Residents are required to bring their pets with up-to-date shot records and microchip paperwork in order to complete their registration. Cats must be carried to the event in a crate or carrier and all dogs are required to be on a leash at all events.
Veterinarians will administer shots to animals in need of up-to-date shots, but the purpose of these events is strictly for pet registration, noted Newson.
The Animal Control office is scheduled to move to building 979 next month, located on Piney Green Road aboard MCB Camp Lejeune, next to the Piney Green Base entry gate. They will continue to hold pet registration at their new location from 8 to 11 a.m., Monday through Friday. Pet registration is free and conducted by walk-ins only.
Base patrons have up to five days after receiving the key to their residence to register their pets. Patrons who already live aboard the base and have a pet have until September 30 to register their animals.
To contact Animal Control call 451-5143.
To contact the Tarawa Terrace Veterinarian Clinic call 450-1607.