Rescues must work with a local veterinarian to insert the microchips. | Photo: Anne M. Eberhardt/The Horse

The Unwanted Horse Coalition (UHC) will be expanding its Operation Chip program to equine rescues wishing to chip horses in their care.

“We have seen a wonderful response to the Operation Chip program with equine organizations hosting Operation Gelding clinics and applying for microchips to be placed into the stallions getting gelded,” said UHC Director Ashley Furst. “By the end of May, we will have had 12 clinics participate in Operation Chip, chipping 240 horses. Based on this, we felt it was appropriate to open up the Operation Chip program to include ‘chipping clinics’ for 501(c)(3) rescues wanting to have reliable identification for the horses in their program.”

As with the gelding clinics, there is no cost for the microchip or the registration of the chips, and proof of registration of each chip distributed to the rescue will be required to be submitted to the UHC. Rescues must work with a local veterinarian to insert the microchips. The UHC also encourages organizations applying for the chips to also apply for a universal scanner at a reduced cost of $25 for 501(c)(3) organizations