You can have your pet microchipped by the Mission Valley Animal Shelter for $35. The microchip number is registered for you. If your animal is picked up as a stray and brought to a shelter or veterinary clinic, it will be scanned for a chip. The microchip will reveal a distinct and individual number, which will help retrieve emergency contact information and the pet’s name. So long as the contact information is kept current, the lost animal can thereby be returned to the registered owner. This can save you the trouble of having to pay reclaim fees to bail your wandering animal out of “doggie jail.” 

It's a wonderful program, which is quick and relatively painless. The microchip is approximately the size of a grain of rice. It is inserted under the skin at the base of the neck near the shoulder blades. It is made of an inert material that does not affect the animal in any way. Your pet is identified for the rest of his/her life.
 

In recent years we have heard many stories of beloved microchipped animals being reunited with their families after years of heartache and many miles of mystery. Within the past six months MVAS has reunited two dogs who had been very dearly missed by their families for more than an entire year! These happy reunions would never have been possible without a microchip.