Should Lubbock force pet owners to have their pets microchipped?

If you’ve lived in Lubbock a long time, you know we have a problem with stray dogs and cats. The Lubbock Animal Shelter seems to be full most of the time and other non-profit organizations also remain nearly full.

Every day on social media you see people posting about their lost dogs or cats or finding a dog or cat wandering around the neighborhood. And unfortunately, some people drop dogs in the country.

Is the answer forced microchipping? A town in Texas thinks the answer to reducing lost pets is to force all dogs and cats to be microchipped.

The city of Houston now has an ordinance that requires pets, dogs and cats, to be vaccinated against rabies and be microchipped. This should be done for all pets by the time they are four months old according to the Houston Chronicle.

Houston City Council passed an ordinance in 2022 requiring any city resident who owns a dog or cat at least four months old to be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. The one-year grace period ends on Wednesday when the law takes effect. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner reminded residents at a Houston City Council meeting Wednesday morning.

“Please chip your pets and let’s move on,” Turner said.

What if your pet is not microchipped? Fines ranging from $100 to $500.

So, should the city of Lubbock consider a similar ordinance?

Personally, I would be against such a decision and I don’t think it would lead to the results that Houston thinks.

That being said. Have your pet microchipped. If they come loose, there’s a good chance they’ll come back to you.