When the Chips Are in, Your Pets Are Safe

And most veterinarian hospitals and practices also have chip readers, Shackelford added. "I think almost every veterinary hospital, and certainly the animal shelters like the Tulsa Animal Shelter, have microchip readers," he said. "The beauty of microchipping is if the dog gets loose and loses his collar with the tags, he still has the microchip." Cat CautionYour indoor kitten also might try to sneak her way outside this spring and summer. But you can also thwart those attempts. The main reason your feline might want to escape is if it isn't spayed or neutered, Johnson said. "A cat in heat is just miserable, and they stay in heat until they're bred." If They're Lost Putting up visible signs in the neighborhood is a great way to start your lost-pet search. "Color pictures are the best because they draw attention," Johnson said. "And they should have very big lettering. They shouldn't have to get out of the car and look." Neighborhood associations sometimes post lost pets, and so do veterinary practices. Online resources are also out there to reunite lost pets with their owners, such as craigslist.com and petfinder.com. "And go to the animal shelter every two days," Johnson said. "Do a walkthrough."