Sir –As the lost and found co-ordinator for the Oxfordshire Branch of the RSPCA, I receive upwards of 50 reports every month of lost or found animals.

The vast majority of these reports concern cats, and the vast majority of these are lost, not found. (If you have lost or found an animal, let us know at info@rspca-oxfordshire.org.uk, or contact Animal Finders with whom we work closely at 0845-6045507.) My happiest moments in this role are when we can manage to make a match between an animal reported lost and one reported found, and when someone reports a found animal which proves to be microchipped; this means we can contact the owner and reunite pet and owner. But these happy moments don’t happen often enough.

So here are the two best things you can do: First, arrange for a pet-owning friend or relative to have their pet microchipped. Ask your vet, or contact us (info@rspca-oxfordshire.org.uk).

Second, if you have taken in a stray animal and never had it scanned, please, please take it to a vet and ask for a scan, or contact us (info@rspca-oxfordshire.org.uk) or Animal Finders (0845 604 5507) and we can scan it for you.

There’s a girl in Woodstock whose only Christmas wish for the past five years has been to have news that her missing cat is all right. He too is microchipped. Give the best present of all — peace of mind.

Katherine Morris, Trustee and microchipping/lost and found co-ordinator, RSPCA Oxfordshire Branch, Woodstock