Residents across San Antonio who encounter lost cats and dogs now have access to an expanded neighborhood network designed to speed up pet reunifications. In a joint public service initiative, the city’s municipal animal shelter agency and emergency services department have established free microchip scanning kiosks at select neighborhood fire stations throughout the metropolitan area.
The collaborative project brings together Animal Care Services and the San Antonio Fire Department to make microchip reading technology directly accessible to the public. By placing these scanning devices in visible community locations, officials aim to empower good Samaritans to quickly identify wandering animals and locate their rightful owners without having to travel across the city.
A major feature of the program is accessibility, as the scanning stations have been erected in outdoor spaces to ensure they are available to the public 24 hours a day, seven days a week. This continuous, round-the-clock availability allows community members who discover stray animals late at night or during holiday hours to take immediate action rather than waiting for regular municipal business hours.
The initial rollout of the program encompasses eight active fire stations strategically distributed across various San Antonio neighborhoods. City planners and animal welfare administrators have confirmed that three additional fire station locations are scheduled to be added to the network as soon as appropriate sites become available for installation.
Among the eight operational locations currently equipped with the scanning technology is Fire Station 16, situated at 2110 Nogalitos Street, providing coverage for surrounding south-central neighborhoods. Residents on the city’s east side can access a scanner at Fire Station 18, located at 1410 S. WW White Road, while those in north-central areas can utilize the hardware mounted outside Fire Station 19 at 2307 Vance Jackson Road. Additionally, Fire Station 22 at 1100 March Avenue provides access to south-side residents.
The remaining active scanning sites are spread across other key corridors of San Antonio to maintain broad geographic coverage. These include Fire Station 26 at 4140 Culebra Road on the west side, Fire Station 27 located at 1538 Hillcrest Drive, Fire Station 36 situated at 5826 Ray Ellison Boulevard, and Fire Station 44 found at 1351 Horal Drive.
Each station is fully self-service and includes comprehensive, easy-to-follow instructional signage designed to guide community members through the entire process. The posted directions explain how to safely hold and position a found cat or dog, how to properly glide the scanner over the animal to detect an implanted microchip, and what steps to take once a reading is successfully captured.
If an electronic chip is located beneath the animal's skin, the scanner displays a unique identification number. The accompanying instructional guides outline how finders can use that sequence to look up registration details through microchip registry databases and promptly begin reaching out to the pet’s family to arrange a direct return.
City officials emphasize several critical guidelines and boundaries that the public must observe when utilizing these neighborhood resources. First and foremost, on-duty firefighters and emergency personnel are not available to assist residents with handling, restraining, or scanning any animals brought to the properties, as their primary duty is responding to life safety emergencies.
Furthermore, authorities have issued clear reminders regarding the physical limitations of these sites. The municipal fire stations are strictly designated as scanning points and do not function as animal intake facilities, pet surrender hubs, or temporary holding pens. Under no circumstances are residents permitted to abandon, tether, or leave an animal unattended on the grounds of any fire station.
For safety reasons, the self-service stations are strictly intended for animals that are calm and safe to handle. If a member of the public encounters a lost pet that is visibly injured, acting aggressively, or presenting any other potential hazard, individuals should refrain from attempting to secure the animal themselves and instead report the situation directly to the city’s 311 service line for professional handling.
In addition to the neighborhood fire station network, residents seeking assistance with lost pets still have the option of visiting the central Animal Care Services headquarters. The main ACS campus, situated at 4710 Texas 151, remains available to scan found pets during its operational hours for those who prefer visiting the primary shelter facility.
To help residents navigate the new system, detailed information, interactive mapping, and step-by-step directions to all participating fire stations have been compiled on a dedicated city webpage. Community members can access these resources and review the standard scanning procedures online at SAACS.info/petscan.
By equipping residential neighborhoods with free, accessible identification tools, the city aims to streamline the lost-and-found pet process. The joint initiative between Animal Care Services and the San Antonio Fire Department provides a localized pathway for neighbors to help neighbors, returning lost pets to their families quickly while conserving municipal shelter resources.
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