24Pet to 'Chip in' To Help Lost Chicago Area Pets Reunite With Their Families

24Pet announced it would host "Chip in"—a dog and cat microchipping event in Chicago and the surrounding suburbs on June 24. In line with 24Pet's mission to bring pet families together and keep them together, 24Pet is partnering with ten shelters across multiple locations to provide free microchipping services to the local community ahead of the Fourth of July, when over 3,000 pets commonly go missing, each year during the holiday.

Illinois sees one of the most significant spikes in missing pets on the Fourth of July, with at least a 600% spike in call volume to 24Pet, in prior years. Microchips are the only permanent lost pet recovery device and help to identify lost and found animals and provide shelters, veterinarians, or other organizations with a way to contact the owner.

Microchipped dogs are twice as likely to make their way home, and cats are ten times as likely. With only 20-30% of dogs and cats microchipped across the US2, "Chip in" aims to get more pets microchipped, helping to reunite beloved pets back with their families faster.

Those participating in the event will automatically be registered with 24Pet, the largest pet registry in North America. Pet owners can also stop by participating shelters to check if their pet is already microchipped, and can then register at 24petwatch.com, the largest registry in North America, for free. By registering with 24Pet, the pet's microchip will be connected with the company's database of over 5,000 shelters, rescues, clinics and partners in case the pet goes missing and help to bring their pet home faster.