Buellton approves purchase of DIY pet microchip scanners for parks, City Hall and humane society

The Buellton City Council voted unanimously Jan. 9 to authorize the purchase and installation of do‑it‑yourself pet microchip scanning stations at several city locations.

City Manager Scott Wolf introduced the item and said the Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation offered housings and a pricing structure of $250 per unit, with an offer of a free fifth unit if the city purchases four. "That brings the cost down to approximately $200 each for the purchase of all of those," staff said during the presentation.

Linda Greco of the Santa Barbara County Animal Care Foundation demonstrated a sample station and said the devices allow members of the public to scan found animals, read the microchip number and use a smartphone app or QR code to locate registry information. "It empowers our community to be a part of the story — the reuniting of a family with their animal," Greco said.

An animal services representative told the council that in calendar year 2025 nearly 4,300 animals entered the shelter system as strays out of roughly 6,000 intakes, and argued that local scanning stations would reduce barriers to reunification and ease shelter demand.

Council members discussed candidate locations (dog park, the local humane society and City Hall), requested a heat map of where strays are found, and asked staff to consider mounting and installation costs. Staff estimated a $1,500 authorization would cover purchase of four units (plus the free fifth) and recommended budgeting an additional ~$500 for mounting materials and installation depending on chosen locations.

Council moved, amended the motion to add City Hall to the initial locations, and approved the expenditure on a roll call vote recorded as unanimous.

Staff will return with a proposed list of specific sites and a stray‑location heat map to guide final placement and installation.