Our pets are very precious to us and to most, even family. Losing a member of our family would be devastating. Luckily for our furry family members there is an option out there to make the chances of a home coming even greater. Microchips are the best chance any pet would have to coming back home in case they would run away and get picked up by a rescue or a good Samaritan. I know what you are thinking my dog has a collar and id tags, and that’s great. But what happens when for some reason they break off, or Fido decided to go on a chewing party and there goes another collar. Sometimes they can even back right out of their collars and get away quickly. Mistakes happen, but luckily microchips can’t fall off or get lost. Even if cats allow a collar to be put on them the likelihood that they don’t get caught on something and it gets removed is very low. Cat’s believe if their head fit they fit and that doesn’t always work out in their favor.
Microchips are little computer chips that have a barcode on them much like items you would buy from the grocery store. They hold a number on them that when scanned connect them to all of the owners information. The chips are only about the size of a grain of rice and can easily be implanted with a syringe and needle. Much like most vaccines are given. It is usually placed between the should blades so the chances of it migrating are lower. Most rescues and vet hospitals have the scanners available so the staff can check for microchips on pets who are found. Once scanned they receive the numbers and once contacting the company that they are registered with they will get all the owners information.
The best part is the microchips are made from biocompatible material so it will not degenerate over time so as long as you keep your information up to date it will always help get them home. The most important part of having a microchip is having them registered. Some vet hospitals will register them for you but other places like rescues or breeders you would need to register them yourself with your information. Make sure you get all the information about them so that you can correctly keep them up to date. Most microchip companies will contact you once a year as well to make sure.
Also if your dog has a microchip they are qualified for a lifetime license so that’s one more thing not to have to worry about depending on the county you live in. Having the microchip implanted in your pets will increase your chances of having your pet home safely. Ten million dogs and cats are lost or stolen every year in the United States. Cats with microchips are 20 times more likely to be returned and dogs 2.5 times more likely to be returned. It’s definitely worth it in the long run and your pets will thank you too.
