Microchipping is the Best Way for Lost Pet, They Can Find Their Way Home

Every pet owner’s biggest fear is the thought of their pet running away… never to be found again. This is especially scary if your pet doesn’t always wear their collar with an ID tag. However, it’s possible to put this fear to rest with pet microchipping! A microchip is a tiny computer chip that is implanted by an injection similar to a vaccine needle under the skin of your pet. The chip is made of biocompatible material that will not rust or cause an allergic reaction. It is completely safe and will not hurt your pet when it is inserted. The procedure is always done by a veterinarian.

All kinds of animals can be microchipped, including dogs, cats, birds, reptiles, and horses. Each chip has a unique code that can be traced with a scanner. Your pet will most likely be connected to you in no time after the code has been scanned. Most veterinarians and shelters have these scanners, making it more convenient for you to locate your pet.

If you are adopting a pet from a shelter, chances are that the animal has been microchipped. You will have to contact the company that made the microchip and registers your new pet in their database.

The only real downfall to microchips is that they cost a bit of money, most costing between $30 and $45, however, there may be additional costs depending on the company. It’s possible to cut the cost if your pet is enrolled in a pet health insurance plan. Another downfall is that each microchip manufacturer maintains its own database. So if you register your pet with one manufacturer, but your veterinarian is registered with another, it may take a little longer to locate your pet. However, all scanners display the name of the microchip’s manufacturer, making it easier to identify the animal.

What happens if my pet gets lost?

If your pet is taken to a veterinarian office or a shelter, he/she will be scanned. Provided the chip has been registered, the identifying information will display on the scanner. Depending on the policy of the microchip company, either the microchip company will be contacted — they, in turn, will contact the owner; or the pet owner will be contacted directly by the veterinarian or shelter, using the registered information in the database. This is why it is so important to keep the information accurate and up to date.

Just because you get your pet microchipped doesn’t mean they are completely protected from ever becoming lost though. You should always:

• Make sure he/she wears a collar with identification tags.

• Be aware of your surroundings and new environments.

• Make sure gates are closed and fences cannot be jumped over or… dug under.

Microchipping a pet is the most effective way to locate a lost pet. But as they say, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure, so make sure to take the necessary steps to keep your pet safe!

With the growing popularity of microchipping, microchip companies are under more pressure to change their standards to a universal system for returning pets to their owners. This is great news for pet owners, making microchipping an even more accurate method of pet recovery. A microchip used in conjunction with a collar and ID tag is the best way to ensure that your pet finds his/her way home.