$5.00 Microchipping for your pet until July 4th.

This is why Pinal County Animal Care and Control is offering pet owners a steep discount by charging only $5.00 to microchip their pet. The normal price is $20.00. The offer will be valid until Tuesday, July 4.

"We cannot stress enough the importance of microchipping your pet," stated Animal Care and Control Director Audra Michael. "There are too many times we find a pet roaming free and it isn't microchipped. We have to take it to the shelter and hope the owner will take the steps to find their animal. A microchip puts the odds in your favor to get your pet back."

Michael also said that if a person finds and picks up a lost pet, they can take it to the Animal Care and Control Shelter or any veterinarian's office and they will scan the pet for free.

The Pinal County Animal Care and Control Shelter is open M, T, Th and F 8:00 AM to 5:00 PM, Wednesday's 8:00 AM to 7:00 PM and Saturday's 10:00 AM to 4:00 PM and can be reached by calling 520-509-3555 or 3-1-1 if you are in the county.

Tips for keeping your pet safe on the Fourth of July:

• Never take dogs to fireworks displays or leave them outside alone during fireworks
• Be sure that your animals are wearing collars or harnesses with an up-to-date ID tag. Get your discounted microchip, too!
• Close all your windows, curtains, and blinds. Frightened dogs sometimes attempt to
• jump through windows Distract your dog by playing games, and be generous with treats for ignoring explosions.
• A Thundershirt provides gentle, consistent pressure that can help both dogs and cats feel more secure
• Melatonin works wonders to calm dogs down