HELENA — For the Lewis and Clark Humane Society in Helena, warmer weather means more animals coming through their doors—some of them lost pets.
LCHS staff say that as people and their pets spend more time outside enjoying warm weather, or owners go out of town, the number of runaway pets increases. There are things pet owners can do now to help get a pet back if they do get lost.
LCHS staff say one of the most important things a pet owner can do is get their pet microchipped. When an animal comes into the shelter, one of the initial intake steps is scanning the animal for a microchip, if they have one, it quickly identifies the owner, and staff try and get in touch with them. If your pet is microchipped, ensure the contact information associated with it is up-to-date.
Collars and tags with up-to-date contact information are also helpful. According to LCHS staff, this can help people identify a lost pet’s owner and prevent bringing the pet to the shelter.
If a pet does go missing, owners should file a report with LCHS, and visit the shelter frequently to see if they can identify their animal.
“So please, come down and look,” LCHS director of development and communications Cassidy Cook said. “That is the heaviest thing I can emphasize—no matter what, come look. Continue to come look, even if they’re not here the first time, keep looking.
For more information about LCHS and the hours they are open, visit their website.
