Check Your (Micro) Chip!
Posted by Caroline Aro on 08/20/2024
Each year, about 10 million pets go missing each year in the U.S. and unfortunately many don’t make it home, which leads to millions of lost pets in shelters. May is National Chip Your Pet Month and the goal is to encourage pet owners and to bring awareness to the importance microchipping pets.
What is a Microchip?
A microchip for your pet is a tiny implant, about the size of a grain of rice and each one has its own unique code. The microchip is inserted under the skin, usually around the shoulders, in a minimally invasive procedure. That chip can then be registered with some vital information – pet’s name, pet owner’s name, phone number etc. It’s important that if you already have your pet microchipped to always keep that information up to date, especially if you move!
How to Microchip Your Pet
If you are looking to get your pet microchipped, talk to your veterinarian; most vet clinics have microchips on hand and can easily perform the procedure for you. Microchipping your dog or cat is a relatively affordable and minimally invasive way to provide your pet with permanent identification. There are also many groups around the country that offer lower-cost or free microchipping clinics.
How to Having a Microchip Can Protect Your Pet
Microchips are permanent and tamper-proof forms of identification for your pets. They are to be used in addition to a collar with tags to give your pet the best odds of being identified if lost.
According to a study published by the Journal of the AVMA, only 22% of lost dogs brought into shelters were returned to their families. However, that number rose to over 52% when the dog is microchipped, and even better results were found in the cat population. Only around 2% of cats in shelters were returned to their owners, with that number reaching nearly 40% when the cats were microchipped.
Most veterinary practices and shelters have special microchip scanners. If someone finds your pet and brings them in, they can be scanned for a chip. The scanner would display the unique ID code on the microchip, which can then be used to look up your information and get your pet back home to you.
Our pets are family members. While we hope that our pets are never lost, if they are, we want to give them the best chance at making it back home. You can always consult with your vet if you have any other questions about microchips.