Clark County installs free microchip scanners so residents can help reunite lost pets with their owners

What happened

Clark County will soon have 15 free-to-use pet microchip scanning stations meant to help people who find stray animals get them back to their owners, the Las Vegas Review-Journal reported. Commission Chair Michael Naft and Code Enforcement Manager Victor Zavala announced the program Thursday.

According to the Review-Journal, county Animal Protection Services workers pick up thousands of stray animals every year, and those animals are rarely reunited with their families. The new kiosks installed by the county are aimed at changing that.

Where the scanners are and how they work

The first three locations

Naft said three stations are already in place, at the Silverado Ranch Community Center, the Walnut Recreation Center and the Cora Coleman Senior Center. The rest are set to be placed on county properties in the coming weeks, according to the Review-Journal.

What is inside a station

The station outside the Silverado Ranch center is about the size of a mailbox, the Review-Journal reported. It holds a handheld microchip scanner along with instructions explaining how to scan an animal and what steps to take after the scan is done.

Why the county is doing this

Naft said the goal is to make it easier for residents to help lost pets get home safely, reduce unnecessary shelter intakes and let animal protection teams focus their time and resources where they can do the most good. He described the kiosks as a tool for people "who are trying to do the most good in our community."

He told the Review-Journal that entering a shelter is harder on an animal's well-being and lowers the odds it is reunited with its family. Naft added that he would prefer not to build more shelter capacity if possible. "I want to return animals to their homes in the field, if and whenever possible," he said.

What the stations cost

Naft said the county spent about $1,000 on each station. He said the stations will save the county money in the long run by limiting work for animal protection services officers and reducing shelter overcrowding.

Microchip rules for pet owners

Clark County has required microchips for pets of county residents since August 2025, the Review-Journal reported. Owners can get a chip injected for $5 through a county partnership with three local animal welfare organizations.

What advocates and officials say

Animal advocates have said the injection is a quick procedure that improves a pet's chances of returning home, according to the Review-Journal. Zavala described the satisfaction of finding a pet by the road and "being able to make a couple phone calls and taking that pet back to their home." Residents looking for other local programs and services can browse our community coverage.

What to watch next

• Installation of the remaining scanning stations on county properties, which the county says will happen in the coming weeks.
• Specific locations for the rest of the planned 15 stations, which the Review-Journal reported will be on county properties.