What is as small as a grain of rice but can save a 110-pound dog?  A microchip! At BISSELL Pet Foundation, we want every pet to be in a loving, forever home and microchips are a critical part of that mission. A lost pet is heartbreaking for the pet owner and traumatic for the pet, but microchips turn ‘lost’ into ‘found’. Prairie Paws Animal Shelter (PPAS) in Ottawa, Kansas recently used a BISSELL Pet Foundation grant to microchip every pet entering their facility.  PPAS wants to guarantee their shelter’s adopted pets can be identified if separated from their new owners.  With a $5000 grant, PPAS microchipped nearly 1000 pets—750 shelter pets and 230 pets owned by members of their community.

Microchipping works! Since implementing the grant, Prairie Paws Animal Shelter has seen more pets returned to owners than ever before in their history!  One lucky pet to be microchipped with the grant was Stoney.  Stoney likes to run and has been picked up by local animal control 5 times since receiving a microchip, but thanks to the chip he has quickly been returned to his owner each time.

Prairie Paws Animal Shelter and BISSELL Pet Foundation take reuniting pets with their families seriously.  Pet collars with ID tags are great, but they are not foolproof.  Collars and ID tags can break or fall off, leaving your pet unidentified and at risk for being left in a shelter instead of being returned to you if lost.  During the winter months, the number of lost pets rises. When everything is covered with snow and ice, familiar areas may look and smell different and it’s easy for pets to get disoriented. In good weather, interesting smells or the chase of another animal might take your pet out of its known boundaries.  Sometimes pets can end up thousands of miles away from home.

We are grateful for Prairie Paws Animal Shelter’s efforts to prevent heartache and save lives.  Safeguard you and your best friend against being separated—microchip and register your furever friend today!

Please visit bissellpetfoundation.org/about-us/lost-pet-usa/ for more information on microchips and tips for finding lost pets.