North Hempstead, NY – North Hempstead Town Supervisor Judi Bosworth and the Town Board would like to announce that the Town’s Animal Shelter will be offering FREE microchips to dogs and cats of Town residents through the first “Pet Microchip Clinic” of the year. The event will be held on Saturday, February 11, 2017 from 10 a.m. to 12 p.m. at the Town’s Animal Shelter in Port Washington, and will be co-sponsored by the Animal Shelter’s not-for-profit partner The Shelter Connection.

Microchipping allows dogs and cats to be electronically identified through a unique, permanent, tamper-proof identification number, increasing the odds of reuniting them with their owners if they are ever lost or stolen. A chip is as small as a grain of rice and is easily implanted under the skin of the pet. This is a service performed for all dogs that are adopted from the Town’s Animal Shelter.

“We hope that our residents take advantage of the first free microchip clinic of the New Year,” said Supervisor Judi Bosworth. “This gives pet owners a piece of mind that if their pet will be able to be identified if they are ever lost.”

All participants of the clinic will leave with information from PetLink, a tag, and a microchip identification card with the chip number. In order to be microchipped, all dog owners are required to have a valid dog license with the Town of North Hempstead at time of registration and cat owners must show proof of current rabies vaccination certificate (tags alone will not be accepted as proof). All microchips will be administered by a licensed veterinarian and/or licensed veterinary Technician.

The North Hempstead Animal Shelter is located at 75 Marino Avenue, Port Washington. Microchips are limited so pre-registration is required. Please call 311 or (516) 869-6311 to reserve your spot.

Supervisor Bosworth with a pooch from the Town’s Animal Shelter.