Reuniting lost pets with their owners just got easier in Baltimore County thanks to new pet scanning stations launched at five locations across the county.
The stations offer 24/7 access to microchip scanning, so that if someone finds a lost animal, they can bring it to a station to scan it for a microchip and reunite it with its owner sooner, and without the animal having to stay in a shelter unnecessarily. It also prevents residents from having to wait until a veterinary office is open or available to scan the animal for a microchip, since the scanning station is open all the time.
If a microchip is found, residents can look up the number in an online database to get the owner’s contact information and reunite them with their pet. The stations include instructions on how to scan a lost animal for the microchip, and what to do if you do not find a chip.
The pet scanning stations are in Catonsville, Dundalk, Essex, Parkville, and Reisterstown. This service is offered by the Baltimore County Department of Health and Services, and the county is the first jurisdiction in Maryland to provide the community scan stations.
“Providing community access to scanners will help residents reunite lost pets with their family and loved ones,” said Dr. Gregory Wm. Branch, Director of the Baltimore County Department of Health and Human Services and the County’s Health Officer. “Pets are extensions of families and we work diligently to ensure that family connections are not interrupted. This is another way we are working to make Baltimore County a great place for both people and pets.”
The pet scanning stations align with a new law extending the deadline for holding a lost animal before surrendering it to Baltimore County Animal Services (BCAS), which is the open admission shelter for the county. The found-pet surrender period has been increased from 24 hours to 72 hours. This makes it easier to reunite pets with their owners before having to bring it to a shelter.
“Under current law, someone who has found a lost pet is now required to submit a found animal report with BCAS within 24 hours and turn the animal over to BCAS within 72 hours if a reunion isn’t possible,” reads the press release announcing the new pet scanning stations.
Animals that appear “sick, injured, in immediate danger, or have no other options apart from shelter intake, should be taken to BCAS.” Every dog and cat adopted from BCAS is microchipped, which is nationally considered a safe, quick procedure and best practice for caring for pets.
Baltimore County pet owners interested in microchipping their pet can call 410-887-PAWS (7297) to schedule an appointment.
To learn more about the Pet Scanning Stations, including how to check for a microchip, as well as pet adoption and lost pet information, visit BCAS’ Lost and Found Pet Help page.
The microchip scan stations are located at the following five parks throughout Baltimore County:
- Banneker Community Center
27 Main Ave.
Catonsville, Maryland 21228 - Dundalk Spay and Neuter Center
702 Dunmanway, Dundalk, Maryland 21222 - Stembridge Community Center
99a Stemmers Run Road
Essex, Maryland 21221 - Northeast Regional Recreation Center
7501 Oakleigh Road
Parkville, Maryland 21234 - BARC Park
Academy Lane
Reisterstown, Maryland 21136
