The SPCA is urging pet owners to have their animals micro-chipped in the aftermath of last month's Christchurch earthquake.
The ability to return pets to owners often depended on whether they had been micro-chipped, SPCA's national president Bob Kerridge said.
"I've been campaigning personally on this issue for many years,
being acutely conscious of the importance of the microchip in reuniting lost animals with their families.
"Although only about 10 per cent of the animals handled by the animal register were micro-chipped, of these 80 per cent were successfully returned to owners within an hour.
"In contrast, even in successful cases, it has often taken days, or even weeks, to reunite un-chipped animals with their owners," he said.
The SPCA emergency team cared for more than 200 animals in the days immediately following the February 22 quake, and 90 were reunited with their owners.
The team also provided triage for many of the dogs used by urban rescue teams from around the world. Many suffered from dust ingestion or cuts or abrasions to their paws, Mr Kerridge said.
SPCA Canterbury handled more than 1000 telephone calls per day following the quake, mainly about lost or found pets.
The team on the ground included almost 30 Christchurch and Wellington SPCA employees, reinforced by four members of Massey University's veterinary emergency response team.
Free micro-chipping and registration of any animals in the Christchurch area is available for pet owners until March 25.
- NZPA
