FETCHING RESULTS | City Hall kiosk helps lost pets find their way home

City of Gladewater Animal Control Officer Colby Warren is making his rounds regularly to reunite families with their wandering pets, and a new tool at Gladewater City Hall aims to help locals do the same, soonest.
Gladewater recently became the second city in East Texas to install a public Community Microchip Scanner in partnership with the City of Longview Animal Care & Adoption Center. It’s a quick means of determining whether a stray has a family waiting and connecting with key registration details.
According to the still-new @GladewaterAnimalControl page launched on Facebook in early May, the kiosk provides locals (and visitors, for that matter) with no-cost 24/7 access to scan any found-animals for microchips.
Per a public announcement Aug. 16, “This tool helps reunite pets with their families quickly and reduces the number of animals entering shelters.”
Located beside Gladewater City Hall’s night deposit drop-box, the ‘scanning station’ has panels of signage outlining how to use the handheld device wired to a weatherproof container.
After securing the animal, it’s a simple matter of booting up the scanner, pushing the center button and waving it over the creature’s body, including typical chipping spots. In the event the animal is indeed chipped, the microchip’s 9-, 10- or 15-digit number will appear on the scanner. Users can then scan a QR code to reach an online portal to input the animal’s code and connect with relevant registries.
There are also instructions for strays with no chip, such as helping connect the user with the Adoption Center and providing advice for advertising the animal’s been found. Gladewater Animal Control can be reached via 903-845-2011 or email to cwarren@cityofgladewater.com. On the city’s website, visit cityofgladewater.com/animalcontrol.
Importantly, animals must not be left at the location: “Abandonment is a felony and will be pursued.”
Likewise, “If the pet appears to be sick or injured and it is outside the shelter’s business hours, please contact GWPD.” Gladewater Police Department’s non-emergency number is 903.845.2166
“The City of Gladewater remains committed to offering innovative resources that support both our residents and the wellbeing of animals throughout Gregg County.”