The Importance of Microchipping Your Pets

Warm weather is enticing to your house cats and pups, enticing enough for them to bolt out the door. Collars, tags, GPS devices, and microchips are the dream team for finding your pet if they scurry away. These are all preventative measures, so be sure to equip your pets with the right tools to help you find them if they ever try to dabble in undomesticated life. 

Since microchipping is fairly new to the scene, let’s learn more.

What is microchipping?

Microchipping is inserting a microchip into your pet’s skin to help others get them back to you if they are lost. Scanning the chip will reveal the unique number of your pet’s chip, which is connected to your contact information. Shelters, vets, and other pet care professionals will scan a pet immediately for a chip if an unaccompanied pet finds its way into their care. This way, any lost animals will be reunited with their families.

Why is microchipping your pet important?

Over 10 million cats and dogs in the U.S. are reported lost or stolen every year. One in three pets will get lost during their lifetime. Of the lost pets that have found their way into shelters, only 22% return home. Among pets who were microchipped, 52% were reunited with their families. If your pet becomes lost, it is vital to have multiple types of identification on them to increase the chances of your pets being returned to you. Collars, tags, and GPS tracking are all crucial members of the pet ID team. But collars and tags can fall off a pet while they’re away from you. Although tags and collars are necessary, adding a microchip to the mix ensures a secure source of owner contact information on your pet. The microchip is not a GPS, and it should not replace collars and other tags. All of these tools should work together to help reunite you with your pets. If your pet experiences injury or illness while away from your care, the medical history and needs sometimes attached to microchips can help a vet care for your pet until you arrive.

How do you get your pet microchipped?

Microchipping is often offered through veterinary services, so make an appointment with your vet first. At the appointment, the vet will inject the microchip into your pet. A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice. It gets injected into extra skin between your pet’s shoulder blades. It yields small, if any, discomfort that is comparable to a vaccine shot.

How can a microchip help me find my pet?

When a kennel, vet, or other animal aid professionals find a pet alone, it is standard procedure to first scan the pet for a microchip. If one is found, the chip scan will reveal the emergency contact information that was connected to the chip when it was implanted. Let this safety precaution work in your favor! Getting your pet a microchip will substantially increase the odds of someone contacting you when they’re lost. Deciding to microchip your pet and getting it inserted are only two steps in the process. The third, and very important, step is to register their chip with a reputable pet recovery service. These services maintain a database that links your contact information with your dog’s unique ID number. Organizations such as the American Kennel Club (AKC), HomeAgain, and PetLink are just a few examples of registration service providers. Ensure you provide accurate and up-to-date contact information to increase your chances of reuniting with your pet.

Recap, please!

If lost and then found by a kennel, vet, animal control, etc, they will scan your pet’s chip and receive your contact information. This increases the chances of being reunited with your lost pet. The greatest benefit of a microchip is that it increases your odds of finding your pet if you accidentally separate. Losing a pet is stressful and frightening, so taking any and every measure to make the reunion process quick and effective is necessary. The microchip is important because it provides a permanent form of ID for your pet. This is crucial because collars and tags can fall off easily. Remember, a microchip is only part of the team. To win, you need all your best players in the field. A collar, a nametag with your contact information, a GPS tracking device in the collar, and a registered microchip will work together to help bring your pet back to you if lost.