Micro-chipping Your Pet

by Tina Knight

Every year, literally millions of pet owners lose their beloved family pet. It is estimated that one in three pets will become separated from their owner at some point in their life. Therefore, it is important to keep a collar and tag with your current phone number(s) on your pet at all times. These, however, can fall off, leaving your pet with no identification. Having your pet micro-chipped significantly increases the chances that your loved one will find their way back to you.

A microchip is a tiny transponder about the size of a grain of rice that is implanted just under the skin, between the pet’s shoulder blades. This is done using a syringe and is typically no more painful than a vaccine injection. The procedure is simple and usually performed at your vet’s office, but if you adopt a pet from a shelter or rescue, they may already be micro-chipped. The microchips are manufactured entirely from nontoxic, inert materials that cannot cause any harm to the pet. The chips are designed to last 25 years, so once your pet has had a chip implanted, there is no need to worry about having another one implanted. Each chip contains a unique ID number. Within each code is a series of letters or numbers that identifies the manufacturer of that particular chip. When the pet is implanted with a chip, the veterinarian or shelter then registers that chip with the manufacturer so there is a permanent record of who implanted the chip. It is very important that you follow up and register your pet with the company that made the chip. The veterinarian who implants the chip should give you some paperwork that you can send in to the registry. You may also be able to do it online. Some companies charge a one-time registration fee while others may charge an annual fee. You will also receive a tag with the name of the registering company and the ID number. Be sure to keep your information updated with the registry. Otherwise, the microchip is useless.

Some microchip companies offer extra services such as lost pet alerts that go out to shelters in the area where your pet went missing. They may offer travel assistance to help with the cost of having your pet transported back home if it is found more than 500 miles away. If you have yet to microchip your pet, you may want to take some time and do some investigating before you decide the microchip company that works best for you and your pet. Depending on which company you choose may also determine where you will have your pet micro-chipped.

Some microchip scanners will only recognize certain types of chips. But, most shelters and many veterinarian offices have universal scanners capable of reading any type of chip. If your pet becomes lost and ends up at a shelter or veterinary office, they will be scanned. They can then contact the manufacturer that the chip is registered with and get your contact information so your pet may be returned to you. If you adopt a pet that is already micro-chipped, you will need to contact the registry for that chip and update the information.

Dogs and cats are not the only pets that are micro-chipped. Most any animal may be micro-chipped; ferrets, rabbits, birds and larger animals such as horses, llamas and goats as well. If you live in an area that is often affected by natural disasters, which may require the evacuation of you and your large animals, it is a good idea to have them micro-chipped. There is the rare occasion that a microchip may fail. When you are visiting your vet for your pet’s annual checkup, ask the vet to scan the chip to make sure it is in working order.

For more information on micro-chipping your pet, see the Humane Society (http://www.humanesociety.org/animals/resources/tips/microchips.html).

Companies that provide microchip services include Home Again (http://public.homeagain.com/), 24PetWatch (http://www.24petwatch.com/index.aspx) and Avid (http://www.avidid.com/).