Alamo City pet owners may be required to microchip cats and dogs. Credit: Wikimedia

Next Thursday, San Antonio City Council will vote on a proposal to require owners of cats and dogs to obtain microchip implants.

Right now, all pet owners need to do is obtain a metal license tag showing the animal has been vaccinated for rabies and pay a fee. The proposal deletes that language from city code.

The new rule would be that any owner or keeper of a dog or cat must implant the animal with a registered microchip before it is four-months-old.

“A currently valid dog or cat license shall continue to be valid until its expiration. On or before its expiration, the owner shall have the animal implanted with a registered microchip in accordance with the provisions of this chapter,” the proposal states.

If an animal is unsuitable for a microchip, a pet owner must mark it with an identifying tattoo from a licensed veterinarian and provide proof that the animal isn’t medically suitable for microchipping, according to the proposal.

Take a look at the proposed changes:

B Session Chapter 5 Changes (Updated 4-8-15)

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This article appears in Best of San Antonio 2015.

Mark Reagan isn't from Texas, but he came here as soon as he could. He got his start on the windy plains of southwest Kansas at the Dodge City Daily Globe where he covered education and eventually served...