Find Your Lost Pets- Have Them Microchipped | Print |  E-mail
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Written by Rob Metras   
Tuesday, 25 March 2008
Why should animals die needlessly when we have the technology and ability to protect them and assist in their return when they are lost ?
by RobMetras


Why should animals die needlessly when we have the technology and ability to protect them and assist in their return when they are lost ?

Microchip RFID technology is widespread throughout the world and allows pets to be scanned and their owners identified through their registration in pet recovery databases. The chip, the size of a grain of rice, is implanted under the skin near the shoulder blades of the animal. This can be done at the same time your veterinarian is doing the animals vaccinations and or booster shots. The chip is a small radio transponder which is excited by the scanner and allows the chip number to be read.

The National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy completed a survey of 1000 animal shelters across the United States in 1997 where it found that about one million dogs and 584,000 cats were found as strays and taken to shelters. Of these only 16% of the dogs and 2% of the cats could be returned to their owners. Some of these could be adopted but the majority of these pets were humanely euthanized because their owners could not be found. This carnage could have been avoided.

One minute the pet is there, the next they have bolted or silently slunk away. One is reminded of the panic of a mother when their child wanders way in the supermarket, only to be found moments later. The pet may not be noticed as missing as quickly as the child. The microcchip is the silent protector of the animal when they are found when lost or missing by their owners.

Microchipping is often done by animal welfare and control authorities before the animal is adopted and can readily be done in the veterinarian's office inexpensively at the same time vaccinations and or checkups are completed. Owners should ensure that the documentation linking the chip to the owner is sent and registered with a pet recovery database. It is also important to keep the database current by advising of moves and contact changes.

The success rate of microchipping is far better than other methods and improves on the hand written or copied notices with the pets picture on utility poles or grocery store bulletin boards. It is incumbent on owners to ensure their pets are chipped and registered, either though their vet or their local shelter. One less child relieved from tears and anguish and more animals saved from the finality of euthanasia is worth the effort.

Animal clinics and animal welfare organizations have electronic scanners that identify and display the microchip registration of the majority of chipsm in the marketplace regardless of manufacturer as long as they are either Non-ISO or ISO standard manufacture. Names such as Avid,Home Again,24Petwatch,Allflex are commonly used microchips in North America. The current non-ISO chips in the US can be read today and in Canada the scanners read both ISO and non-ISO chips in scanners provided specifically for that market.

Once the animal has been scanned and the pattern of the chip identified by the code and number, the appropriate registry is contacted. The registries are not all exclusive to the chip manufacturers and some include all chips that are in the market. One registry ,24PetWatch, is also integrated in real time with the largest online shelter software in North America to facilitate recovery and contact while others all have Toll-Free telephone numbers for recoveries. It is the least we can do to let Lassie come home.

About the Author:

In addition to writing on microchipping Rob Metras is interested on how to give the best care to your pets. Click on the the following link for a free ebook on caring for your own pets. Rob blogs at on a variety of dog and cat care and pet welfare issues



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