Media Contact: Jordan Rutter, Director of Public Relations| jerutter@abcbirds.org | @JERutter

American Bird Conservancy is sponsoring a program aimed at helping cat owners in Maine get their cats microchipped. Photo by Julia Pivovarova/Shutterstock

American Bird Conservancy (ABC) is pleased to announce one final extension of our microchip cost reimbursement program for Maine's cat owners through April 30, 2022 (or until funds are exhausted). Applicants can now receive up to $40 in reimbursement funds for new microchips. Interested participants should act quickly to take advantage of this unique opportunity by submitting the online application.

ABC has recognized cat identification as an overlooked practice among Maine's cats. This new program could help reunite lost cats with their owners, which will benefit not only cats and their human companions but also birds and other wildlife that might otherwise be at risk from stray or feral cats roaming the landscape.

Research has shown that microchips can significantly increase the recovery rate of lost cats, and use of microchips for pet identification is recommended by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Despite these benefits, a 2020 survey of over 700 Maine residents conducted by ABC indicated that only 26 percent of households microchipped all their pet cats, with an additional 7% of households microchipping some, but not all, of their pet cats.

“We're excited to be able to offer this opportunity to Maine's cat owners,” said Grant Sizemore, who runs ABC's Cats Indoors program. “Microchips are a safe and effective way to recover lost pets that too few of Maine's cat owners currently utilize. Through this reimbursement program, cats, birds, and people will all benefit.”

With the extension of this popular microchip program, American Bird Conservancy hopes to continue to support responsible cat ownership practices.

Maine's cat owners interested in participating in the program can do so by filling out and submitting an online form to info@abcbirds.org before April 30, 2022, or until funding is exhausted.

For more information on American Bird Conservancy's efforts to keep cats and birds safe, see the Cats Indoors program's Solutions for Pet Cats.

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American Bird Conservancy is a nonprofit organization dedicated to conserving wild birds and their habitats throughout the Americas. With an emphasis on achieving results and working in partnership, we take on the greatest problems facing birds today, innovating and building on rapid advancements in science to halt extinctions, protect habitats, eliminate threats, and build capacity for bird conservation. Find us on abcbirds.org, Facebook, Instagram, and Twitter (@ABCbirds).