WASHOE COUNTY SHERIFF’S OFFICE NEWS RELEASE – Area pet owners are invited to microchip their pets for free inside the Petco on South Virginia Street from 10:00 a.m. to 3:00 p.m. on Saturday, November 16, 2013 as part of a year-long campaign by Regional Animal Services to provide free microchips for all Washoe County pet owners.

Pet owners are asked to bring their dogs properly leashed and their cats in appropriate cat carriers. The Free Microchipping Clinic from Washoe County Regional Animal Services is 10:00 a.m. – 3:00 p.m. Saturday, November 16, at Petco, 5565 S. Virginia Street, in Reno. For more information contact Regional Animal Services: (775) 353-8900

“We believe that microchipping is your pet’s best chance of returning home if it ever becomes lost and we wanted to make sure all Washoe County pet owners had an opportunity to microchip their pets for free,” Regional Animal Services Director Barry Brode said.

Free microchipping services are also available from the Regional Animal Services Facility on Longley Lane between the hours of 10:00 a.m. to 4:00 p.m. Monday through Friday (excluding holidays) through the end of January 2014. For more information about Regional Animal Services’ free microchipping campaign, visit WashoeAnimals.com.

Maddie’s Fund® (www.maddiesfund.org) is a family foundation endowed by Workday and PeopleSoft founder Dave Duffield and his wife, Cheryl. Named after the family’s beloved Miniature Schnauzer, Maddie’s Fund is helping to achieve and sustain a no-kill nation by providing solutions to the most challenging issues facing the animal welfare community through Maddie’s® Grant Giving and Maddie’s Institute SM.

Regional Animal Services is able to offer this free microchipping clinic on a Saturday thanks to funding provided by Maddie’s Fund®. Maddie’s Fund has also provided funding for the microchips used in all of Animal Services’ mobile clinics during the year-long free micro-chipping campaign.

The Washoe County Sheriff’s Office celebrated 150 years of proud service and community partnership in 2011. Sheriff Michael Haley is the 25th person elected to serve as the Sheriff of Washoe County. His office continues to be the only full service public safety agency operating within northern Nevada and is responsible for operating the consolidated detention facility, regional crime lab, Northern Nevada Counter Terrorism Center, Internet Crimes against Children Task Force, court security, service of civil process, traditional street patrols and Regional Animal Services.