Microchips and Vaccines

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Microchips and Vaccines

Free Microchips

Elk Grove Animal Services offers free microchip implantation for cats and dogs by appointment only

The Best Opportunity for a Happy Return Home

One in three pets will become lost at some point during their lifetime. Without proper identification, 90 percent will never return home. By microchipping your pet, you can greatly increase your chances of finding your furry friend should he or she become lost.

Make an Appointment for Microchipping

Cost: Free to Elk Grove residents who license their pets

Vaccination Clinics

Elk Grove Animal Services offers quarterly Drive Thru Vaccine Clinics for Elk Grove residents. All services at clinics are provided at no cost.

Services offered at drive thru clinics:

  • DHPP (Dog Combo Vaccine)
  • FVRCP (Cat Combo Vaccine)
  • Rabies (Vaccine for cats and dogs)
  • Microchip - Microchips are required for pets brought to the Drive Thru Vaccine Clinic

 

Appointments are required for Drive Thru Vaccine clinics since they are held in the parking lot of the animal shelter. They are usually held on Saturday mornings prior to the shelter opening. 2024 clinics are tentatively scheduled for:

  • March 9, 2024
  • June 8, 2024
  • September 14, 2024
  • December 7, 2024

 

Appointments open for scheduling 1 week prior to each Drive Thru Clinic.

Sign Up for a Vaccine Clinic Appointment

Frequently Asked Questions

How do microchips work?

Microchips are implanted just beneath the skin of your animal, and are registered with owner information. Chips are read using an electronic scanner. Our Animal Control officers and Shelter staff scan for a microchip when we come into contact with a lost or stray pet. If a microchip is detected, the staff member retrieves the owner's information from the microchip manufacturer and will attempt to contact the owner.

Are microchips big? Will they hurt my pet?

No! Microchips are the size of a small grain of rice. Implanting a microchip is easy and involves only a quick injection. It is no more painful than receiving vaccines, and there is no recovery time for your pet.

Can I track my pet using a microchip?

No. Microchips do not allow for the tracking of your pet. They only provide owner information when scanned.

Does implanting a microchip guarantee that my pet will return home if lost?

Microchips can provide your animal with its best opportunity for a happy return home. The Journal of American Veterinary Medical Association showed a return-to-owner rate of 52 percent for dogs who are microchipped, compared to a rate of just 22 percent for dogs who enter a shelter and are not microchipped. Similar increases were seen for non-microchipped cats, whose return-to-owner rate of less than two percent increased to more than 38 percent for cats who were microchipped.

Microchips are not effective if the ownership information is not kept current. When your information, such as phone number, changes, please contact your microchip company to update your information.

How can I contact the microchip company to update my information?

Contact information on the major microchip companies is listed below. Elk Grove Animal Services uses 24 Petwatch brand microchips:

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