The BC SPCA says 123 pets received free microchips last week as part of an initiative aimed at helping reunite lost animals with their families.

Three clinics were held in Kelowna, Penticton and Kamloops, drawing an overwhelming response from pet guardians.

The initiative comes after a summer of wildfires across B.C., which forced many residents to evacuate and, in some cases, became separated from their pets.

“We saw countless pets and families affected by wildfires this summer, and many of them were tragically separated from their pets,” said Kahlee Demers, senior manager of animal triage and flow with the BC SPCA in a release.

“It becomes challenging to identify and reunite pets if they don’t have ID, so our goal with these clinics was to help alleviate any future potential stress and offer free microchips for pet owners.”

A microchip is injected under the skin between an animal’s shoulder blades. The BC SPCA says the procedure is quick, and many pet guardians were surprised by how little their animals seemed to notice it.

Kittens, cats, puppies, dogs and rabbits can all be microchipped.

One pet guardian said the recent Summerland wildfire highlighted the importance of having permanent identification for her dog.

“We weren’t thinking about wildfires or floods or anything like that when we got her,” she said. “But with the Summerland fire last month, I’m really glad we’re getting it done now, because you just never know.”

The BC SPCA says microchips are the most reliable form of pet identification because they cannot fall off like a collar or ID tag.

While tattoos can fade and registry information can become outdated, a microchip can be scanned by a veterinarian or animal shelter to identify a pet, provided the guardian’s contact information is kept up to date.

Pet guardians can contact their veterinarian to learn more about microchipping or visit BC SPCA — Pet ID and registration.

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