MicrochipScanStation

The SPCA Serving Erie County, with assistance from is proud to present scan stations free of charge to the people and animals of our community! Thank you for helping a potentially lost pet!

Please follow the steps below to check for a microchip.

Scanning for a Microchip

– Start at the shoulder blades. This is the most common spot for microchips. Scan slowly, moving the scanner in an “S” shape from side to side.

– Expand your search. Microchips can move! Continue scanning the animal’s entire body, including the neck, legs, and back.

– Repeat the scan. If the first scan doesn’t detect a chip, try again. Sometimes the position or angle of the scanner needs to be adjusted.

– Once the scanner reads a microchip, an ID number will appear. Enter the number into this universal microchip lookup site. This site will connect you with the microchip company information.

– Call the microchip company or visit the company’s website with the animal’s microchip number as soon as possible. They can provide you with the owner’s information or contact the owner on your behalf.

If the animal is not microchipped, here’s what to do next:

– Visit the SPCA’s Lost and Found Animals page, which has a lot of helpful information.

– For dogs: Bring the dog to your town or city’s animal control office. Here is a list of Erie County Animal and/or Dog Control Offices. They are the best resource for reuniting lost dogs with their owners. (If you found the dog in the city of Buffalo, please call the City of Buffalo Animal Shelter at (716) 851-5694.) The SPCA does not admit stray dogs unless they are sick or injured.

– For cats: If the cat is sick or injured, please take it to the SPCA for immediate care. Our current hours are listed here. If the cat is healthy and not injured, return it to the area where you found it. Healthy, uncollared cats are often referred to as “community cats,” which means they have an outdoor home and are perfectly fine living outdoors!

– Check for ID tags: The animal may have a collar with an ID tag!

– Post on Facebook: Share a photo and details about the animal and where you found them on these Facebook lost pet groups: WNY Lost & Found Pets, Pet Alert of WNY, WNY Lost and Found Pets, Lost and Found Pets of WNY.

– If you’re unable to reach an animal control office immediately, please consider holding the animal for safekeeping instead of keeping it as your own pet.