What is the big deal with these tiny pieces of technology called microchips? These tiny, technologically neat devices are responsible for the safe return of tens of thousands of pets every month. What else does your pet wish you knew about microchips?
1. “A microchip more than doubles my chances of a safe return home.”
One of three pets will become lost at some point in their lives. Many will wind up at shelters. And while shelters are some of the saddest places on the planet for pets, we are thankful they exist because they give pet owners a place to look for their pets. And having a microchip makes the process of returning a pet to their owner a lot easier.
The average return rate of dogs to the owners from shelters is 22%. This increases to 52% for dogs with microchips.
Fewer than 2% of cats that enter shelters are returned to their owners. However, cats that are microchipped are returned at a 38% rate.
2. “You can improve my chances of a safe return even more by updating my chip info.”
While microchips are extremely effective in helping a pet find their way back home. Microchips are most effective when owners keep their contact information updated in the microchip database.
So, if you’ve moved recently or gotten a new phone number since your pet was chipped, it’s a good idea to check the information connected to your pet’s chip.
3. “If you find a pet that’s lost, you can bring them to a vet or shelter.”
One of the biggest benefits of microchips is they can be read by any pet chip reader. This means if you find a lost cat or dog, you can bring them to the nearest vet to have their chip read. It just takes a few minutes to find out if a pet is chipped and to pull up their pet parent’s number.
The ease of having a pet’s chip read encourages more people to help lost, scared, and confused pets.
4. “A microchip is so tiny, I can barely feel it when it’s first inserted.”
Microchips are about the size of a grain of rice. We insert them between your pet’s shoulder blades, where they can barely feel them. Often, we perform the procedure when we spay or neuter a pet, making the procedure even easier.
5. “Microchips are a tiny investment that will last my entire life.”
Once implanted, a microchip will forever contain your registration information. This can truly come in handy should your pet’s collar or ID tag come off when they become lost. Microchips use radio frequency identification which uses radio waves that are activated by the chip reading scanner. This means the microchip never needs to be ‘charged’ and never runs out of battery power or electricity like a GPS tracker would.
No matter the brand of your pet’s chip, the technology is universal, so any pet chip scanner can read the information.
Let’s Celebrate Microchips Together!
As summer approaches, along with the Fourth of July, we recommend you have your furry friend microchipped sooner rather than later. This procedure is simple and could save your pet’s life and save you a world of worry. Give us a call or schedule an appointment to have your pet chipped.
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