New technology is allowing pet lovers to locate their loved ones when they run away, even if their pets were to lose a collar.

The Taking Animals Into Loving Shelter Humane Society will be holding a low-cost microchipping clinic for pet identification.

“The microchips can be used for companion animals including dogs, cats, rabbits and ferrets,” Kathy Stelford, president of the board of directors for TAILS, said. “Horses also can have the microchip implanted.”

The microchips are inserted under the skin in the animal’s neck and shoulder area. A chip, about the size of a grain of rice, is placed into the head of a hypodermic needle and then injected under the skin.

Kathy Hubbard, a member of the TAILS board of directors, said the insertion of the chip is relatively painless.

“The chip is placed in the back of the neck area where a veterinarian would usually give a pet a vaccination shot because there aren’t many nerves in the neck area of most animals,” Hubbard said.

The implanted chips only contain a number that the chip manufacturer places on them. That number is then cross-referenced to a database that both the manufacturer and TAILS have. The database contains information about the type of animal, its physical characteristics, and the owner’s name, phone and address.

The information from the chip is gained through the use of a scanner that is given to TAILS, veterinarians and police by the manufacturer for free.

The scanners are hand-held wands about the size of an electric razor that can retrieve an identification number from the microchip below the animal’s skin. An 800 number is given to owners who have lost their pets. TAILS also has a number for owners to call if information regarding their pet is needed.

“This method is better than tattooing or branding for animals like horses because tattoos and brands are on top of the skin and can be altered, while the chips are under the skin and can’t be easily removed,” Hubbard said.

The chip is intended as a back-up to a collar because collars can be dislodged or purposefully removed.

“Animals should still be given collars,” Hubbard said. “For an animal that is found by a neighbor, the collar is the best way to get a pet back, since your neighbor is not going to have a scanner.”

Stelford added that most animal control centers also have scanners that can read the chips.

The $15 cost for microchipping an animal includes a donation to TAILS that will go to help building the new multi-purpose animal shelter in DeKalb County, Stelford said.