If your pet has ever gotten lost, you know how stressful it can be to find them. And if someone finds your pet when most veterinarian offices and shelters are closed — like on a Sunday or after business hours — reunification may be delayed.

That’s why the Forsyth Humane Society teamed up with other local organizations to provide a 24/7 microchip scanner to the public, the first-of-its-kind in Forsyth County.

The scanner was donated using proceeds from a fantasy football league at dog bar Tucker’s Tap Yard. BY Design Woodworks and Elite Canine created the doghouse-shaped case for the scanner, available outside the Humane Society at 4881 Country Club Rd.

Cole Parsons, owner of Tucker’s Tap Yard, told WXII hopes this will spur other publicly available microchip scanners.

Here’s how to use the microchip scanner:

Turn on the device.
Scan the animal. Pro tip: start at the shoulder blades, where microchips are typically implanted, and slowly move down its back and sides, as the chips can move over time.
The scanner will beep when it detects the microchip and will show the number on its screen.
Look up the microchip number using the American Animal Hospital Associations’ universal tool to find the associated registry.
Contact the registry to retrieve owner information.