Being involved in animal health care and on social media, I see daily postings of lost pets on Facebook. Sad to say, the majority of these pets do not have a microchip. Having a microchip is one of the easiest and best ways of identifying pets and reuniting them with their families. I became a strong advocate of microchips after Hurricane Katrina destroyed the Gulf Coast and many pets were left behind when their owners evacuated. It was a daunting task to match the owner with their pet(s) without microchips and current registrations which could have helped the process. “In the US, 90% of lost pets won’t return home without effective identification.” (Home Again) I strongly believe that percentage could decrease dramatically with increased use of registered microchips.
Part of the reason more pets so not have a microchip is due to people thinking their pet will not go missing. Home Again states that “1 in 3 pets will go missing during their lifetime”. Many pets may run away from home due to loud sounds, such as thunderstorms or fireworks, and pets can easily sneak out of an open door and escape from their yards. Many pets can slip from leashes and bolt from their owners on routine walks. These events are sometime unavoidable but knowing you have a permanent form of identification provides good peace of mind.
How does a microchip work? A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice that has a unique number and is inserted under the skin with a simple injection in a specific location. The microchip is registered and identifies the pet with its owner and a physical location. If your pet goes missing, an animal shelter or veterinary clinic will scan for the microchip’s unique number and then look the number up on an online database to find the owner. Finally, the owner is contacted concerning the location of their pet and they are reunited.
If you pet is already microchipped, check to make sure the information is up to date. If you have moved or had a change of name or ownership make sure the registration site has the new information. If your pet is not
microchipped, get one. Don’t let your pet be the one that does not have a way back home.
Part of the reason more pets so not have a microchip is due to people thinking their pet will not go missing. Home Again states that “1 in 3 pets will go missing during their lifetime”. Many pets may run away from home due to loud sounds, such as thunderstorms or fireworks, and pets can easily sneak out of an open door and escape from their yards. Many pets can slip from leashes and bolt from their owners on routine walks. These events are sometime unavoidable but knowing you have a permanent form of identification provides good peace of mind.
How does a microchip work? A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice that has a unique number and is inserted under the skin with a simple injection in a specific location. The microchip is registered and identifies the pet with its owner and a physical location. If your pet goes missing, an animal shelter or veterinary clinic will scan for the microchip’s unique number and then look the number up on an online database to find the owner. Finally, the owner is contacted concerning the location of their pet and they are reunited.
If you pet is already microchipped, check to make sure the information is up to date. If you have moved or had a change of name or ownership make sure the registration site has the new information. If your pet is not
microchipped, get one. Don’t let your pet be the one that does not have a way back home.
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