Micelle McHughes, of Barc, reaches in to pet a pair of dogs up for adoption during a mega pet adoption event at George R. Brown Convention Center in Houston.
Brett Coomer/Staff photographer
Houston Chronicle
Kennedy Sessions, Chron
Beginning Wednesday, Feb. 1, the City of Houston will require all dog and cat owners to microchip their pets. City officials say the microchips will help the city return lost pets to their owners and register them.
Houston City Council passed an ordinance in 2022 to require any resident in the city that owns a dog or a cat at least four months old to be microchipped and vaccinated against rabies. The year-long grace period ends Wednesday as the law goes into effect. Houston Mayor Sylvester Turner reminded residents in a Houston City Council meeting on Wednesday morning.
"Please get your pets chipped, and let's move forward," Turner said.
In an interview with KHOU 11, BARC Deputy Director Cory Stottlemeyer said the microchip is to help pet owners and city officials find pets in case they're lost.
"You could be the best pet owner in the world, but when a stressful situation happens, anything, anything can happen," Stottlemeyer told KHOU.
The BARC Animal Shelter, located at 3300 Carr St., is offering free microchip procedures from 8 a.m. to 10 a.m. on Feb. 6 and Feb. 7. For Houstonians who can't make the free events, microchips are available at the animal shelter for $15. With the ordinance in effect, pet owners could face a fine if they don't comply.
Stottlemeyer told KHOU that most fines will amount to $100 but could go up to $500 depending on a judge's ruling.
According to data from the U.S. Census, 952,400 households in the Houston metro area reported having at least one dog in their home in 2021. Houston ranked fourth among the U.S. metros with the most pets in their household. Pets adopted from a local shelter are typically chipped but pet owners can also have their furry friends' chip status confirmed by a veterinarian.