SIOUX FALLS, S.D. (KELO) — With the holiday seasons around the corner, the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society and Best Care Pet Hospital will host a special microchip clinic Thursday.

The Sioux Falls Area Humane Society is teaming up with Best Care Pet Hospital to microchip 50 pets for free, just ahead of the holidays.

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“For one thing during the holidays you might have extra family members over and maybe they aren’t as good about keeping the doors shut to keep the pets inside or maybe you’re even traveling with your pet and this is something that’s good just not in our local area, but across the U.S.,” Interim Executive Director Michelle Hentschel said.

With a microchip, pet owners can be better prepared in case of any accidental escapes, giving them an extra layer of security and peace of mind.

“A microchip holds the contact information for the pet owner that way if the animal is picked up by Animal Control or a good samaritan, it can be scanned for that microchip and have that reunification,” Community Outreach Director Dana Konzem said.

Each chip carries a unique identification number that can be quickly scanned, linking it to the owner’s contact information.

The Humane Society says nearly half of all animals brought here are strays, so if they are microchipped it helps get them back to their owners.

To give you an idea of how important microchipping is, the Humane Society says they have found pets from as far away as Texas and Georgia and one story in particular is pretty amazing.

“We once had a cat that came in and we scanned its microchip, it turned out that cat had been missing for two years, so we were very happy to call the owner and say ‘Hey we have your cat’ and they immediately came and picked it up it was a wonderful reunification,” Konzem said.

After the first 50 pets are chipped, microchips will be available at the low-cost rate of $20 (plus tax).

The free microchipping clinic is on Thursday from 4 p.m. to 6 p.m. at the Sioux Falls Area Humane Society.