We had a new vision in 2016. As we noticed more and more police departments posting their community’s found pets, we asked ourselves, wouldn’t it be awesome if police departments could scan found pets, return them home and thereby REDUCE the intake at our area shelters?

We introduced our Scanning Partners Across Missouri initiative. The program is simple. We raise the money to purchase universal microchip scanners, and in turn, we donate the universal microchip scanner to the police department.

This community outreach program has been a blessing, and so well received! Nearly every phone call we have made has been well received. Each department is so appreciative of their newly donated universal microchip scanner! Many have had the opportunity to put it to use from DAY ONE!

We have come a long way since 2016. In fact about a year and a half ago, we began gaining visibility into a serious problem in Missouri. We have animal control facilities in Missouri WITHOUT a microchip scanner! We were befuddled. How does that happen? The very organization that handles our community’s wandering pet issue (along with many other pet oriented responsibilities) does not have the number one critical tool to help reduce their animal population in their facility.

We gained insight as we talked with each animal control facility that we came across at the time. The message was the same. They have such a nominal budget to manage their facility. There is no wiggle room to purchase a microchip scanner. As you can imagine, much of Rural Missouri needs help. We are making a commitment to do OUR part to help our Missouri communities.

We have already donated a universal microchip scanner to Potosi Animal Control. St Ann Animal Control will soon be receiving a scanner. We are looking into an opportunity to connect with Animal Control Officers around Missouri so that we can help them.

As you can imagine, as we distribute more and more universal microchip scanners, we need pet parents to do their part.

• Get your pet microchipped. Please, don’t procrastinate. p.s. there are many programs across Missouri for low cost options.
• If your pet is microchipped, AWESOME! Please make sure your pet’s microchip is registered to YOU and up to date with contact information as well as address information. Every time you move or change phone numbers, you need to keep the information up to date. An outdated microchip does you no good when your pet goes missing. p.s. you can register your microchip for FREE on foundanimals.org.
• If you got your pet for free from another person, a Craigslist ad, a Facebook ad, a Facebook group, etc, it is imperative to have your pet scanned for a microchip. If the pet is microchipped, register the microchip to YOU, as you are the current owner. It does you no good if the previous owner receives the phone call for a pet they no longer own. There are many situations where the prior pet owners have not kept your contact information. Out of sight, out of mind. Get ‘er done.

As we continued thinking through the cause and effect of the work our team is doing, we realized, we need more pets to be microchipped. Rural Missouri is hurting for options. And so, we are now working on a program to raise monies to purchase microchips to donate to animal control facilities across Missouri. This will enable all Missourians to have an opportunity within reach to have their pet microchipped.

We have dreams. We define goals. We put plans in place to deliver. We are Missouri Lost & Found Paws.

The following police departments received a fully donated universal microchip scanner to help their community reunite with lost and found pets.

Want to join us? Please submit a request to be added to our waitlist!