Your pets are part of the family, and just like any other member, you wouldn’t want them to go missing without a way of returning home. This is why many owners place ID tags on their pets’ collars. While this is a great, effective way of preventing your lost pet from ending up in a shelter or worse, there’s always a chance that the ID tag or entire collar can fall off. A microchip can provide a permanent means of identification, giving you more peace of mind, should your pet ever become separated from you.
Triangle Animal Clinic offers pet microchipping services through HomeAgain to increase the chances of a happy reunion for your four-legged friend. In fact, more than 2 million lost pets reunite with their owners, thanks to HomeAgain microchips.
Studies show that 1 out of every 3 pets (33%) will go missing at some point. However, the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) claims that more than 50% of microchipped dogs that go missing are returned to their owners. On the other hand, fewer than half (22%) of dogs without a microchip are returned. The numbers are even lower for cats. 39% of microchipped cats and 2% of unchipped cats that go missing end up back home.
How Does Pet Microchipping Work?
Pet microchipping consists of having a trained veterinary professional implant a tiny chip – about the size of a long grain of rice – underneath the surface of an animal’s skin between the shoulder blades. The process is quick and painless, taking only takes a few seconds. Although anesthesia is not required, microchips can be implanted while your pet is anesthetized for a surgical procedure, dental cleaning, or other procedure.
Each microchip contains a unique identification code, which must be registered into an online database with your contact information. If your pet ever goes missing and is taken to a shelter or veterinary practice equipped with a microchip scanner, the chip can be scanned by a staff member. This will pull up your contact information, and you will be notified that your pet has been found.
Interested in alternatives to microchipping? Ask us about our cat and dog tags! Whether you prefer to microchip or use an ID tag, it’s important choose at least one, if not both, even if your pet spends most of their time indoors. Want to learn more about microchipping or pet identification in general? Give us a call!
