Local Helping Paws clinics in Nanaimo now have a new service offering for the time being after 500 microchips were donated to the volunteer driven cause. (BC SPCA)

By NanaimoNewsNOW Staff

Helping Paws

Hundreds of microchips to track pets of Nanaimo area low income earners

May 21, 2022 | 10:29 AM

NANAIMO — A donation of 500 microchips to keep a virtual leash on local pets is going a long way in providing peace of mind to low income earners.

Helping Paws, a three-year-old initiative providing free basic veterinary care for needy cat and dog owners on the mid Island, recently received a donation of 500 microchips.

Helping Paws founder Courtenay Large said their most recent monthly clinic on Thursday, May 19 resulted in a lot of interest in the handy tracking devices.

“Providing permanent identification for their pet is really invaluable to them and everyone’s been super thrilled and nobody has said no to us offering it to them,” Large, a local veterinarian told NanaimoNewsNOW.

The gift from the BC SPCA amounts to a more than $6,000 value.

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Microchips took over from tattoos several years ago as the preferred method to effectively mark pets, Large noted.

The fast-injecting chips are much more legible, last a lifetime, and are less invasive compared to traditional tattoo markings.

“Any time a stray pet is brought into a shelter or a veterinary clinic we’re able to trace the identification of that animal and hopefully find an owner quickly, which is fantastic,” Large said, who pointed out it’s important for pet owner contact information to remain up to date.

Complimentary microchip implants for those who need it can be arranged by contacting the Helping Paws Facebook page.

The monthly clinic at St Peter’s Roman Catholic Church allows clients’ pets to receive basic health check-ups, various vaccines, nail trimming and other services.

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