A new proposal could require Wichita pet owners to microchip their cats and dogs. Jan Jarman, assistant city attorney, presented the recommendation from an Animal Control Advisory Board subcommittee last week during a Wichita City Council workshop at City Hall. “We think it would help get animals back into their homes when animals are found running the streets,” Jarman said at the April 23 workshop. “If every animal was required to have a microchip, it would help us keep them out of the shelter, which is our goal, and we think we could implement that.” A microchip is roughly the size of a grain of rice and is implanted between a pet’s shoulder blades. The chip includes a 15-digit code with the owner’s information, but does not have GPS or tracking capabilities. “It is the best thing your animal can have, other than a collar and ID tag, for any rescue, shelter, or vet to return them to you,” Jordan Bani-Younes, director of communication with the Kansas Humane Society, said in an email to the Wichita Eagle. According to Bani-Younes, 1 in 3 pets go missing over their lifetime, and having a microchip could help return pets to their owners. The proposals will likely be presented to the council in early June, City Spokesperson Megan Lovely told the Eagle via email.
Source: Local News | Wichita Eagle
