Clark County has started installing free, self-service microchip scanning stations at community centers across the valley, giving residents a new way to check whether a stray dog or cat has an owner looking for it. Three of the mailbox-sized stations are already up and running, with a dozen more on the way as part of a countywide push to reunite lost pets with their families.
Commission Chair Michael Naft and Code Enforcement Manager Victor Zavala announced the program Thursday, according to the Las Vegas Review-Journal. The county plans to install 15 of the free-to-use scanning stations in total, and three have already been placed at the Silverado Ranch Community Center, the Walnut Recreation Center and the Cora Coleman Senior Center. Each station cost the county about $1,000, per the same report.
Clark County Nevada confirmed the rollout in a social media post, writing that the stations are available 24/7, free to use, and come with instructions. The post credited Naft and Animal Protection Services with unveiling the effort as a way to help get lost pets back home.
How the Scanners Work
Each station houses a handheld microchip scanner alongside instructions for scanning a pet and what to do once a chip number appears, the Review-Journal reported. To scan, users hold down a red button and move the scanner from the neck to the tail in an S motion.
The scanner beeps when it detects a chip and displays the chip number on screen. Microchips are typically implanted between the shoulder blades and may migrate; scanning the entire body is recommended. Some stations have QR codes or lookup links to the AAHA microchip registry.
Checking a Chip Number Once You Have It
Once someone has a chip number, they can run it through the American Animal Hospital Association's registry lookup tool, which asks for the pet's 9-, 10- or 15-digit microchip number with no spaces or punctuation, according to AAHA. The tool does not hand over an owner's personal information directly; instead it points users toward the specific company or registry that would need to be contacted. The Animal Foundation separately advises owners of lost pets to contact the registry where their animal is chipped and confirm that the contact information on file is still accurate, per the organization's own guidance.
Part of a Broader Microchipping Push
The new scanning stations build on a microchip requirement that has applied to pets belonging to Clark County residents since August 2025. Residents can get a pet chipped for just $5 through a county partnership with three local animal welfare organizations, the Review-Journal noted. Naft said the scanning stations are meant to reduce unnecessary shelter intakes and free up time for the county's animal protection teams, allowing them to focus their resources elsewhere.
When Clark County Animal Protection Services impounds a stray animal, officers and shelter staff already attempt to identify its owner by checking for tags or a microchip, according to the department's own FAQ page. The new public scanning stations essentially extend that same capability directly to residents, letting anyone who finds a wandering pet check for a chip before an animal ever ends up at a shelter.
Other Cities Have Tried Similar Setups
Clark County is not the first place to experiment with public microchip scanners. San Antonio's Animal Care Services and fire department have been installing free, 24-hour scanning stations at 11 fire stations and the agency's main campus, according to Texas Public Radio. St. Charles Parish in Louisiana installed a similar 24/7 station outside its animal shelter in Luling, and Berkeley County in South Carolina has encouraged residents who find lost animals to use nearby microchip stations and then call the Charleston Animal Society. Clark County's own rollout follows a similar logic: put the scanning tool directly in neighborhoods rather than requiring a trip to a shelter or vet's office.
