Losing your dog or cat can be a traumatizing experience. According to the American Humane Society, at least 10 million dogs and cats are reported lost each year. That is a significant number of lost pets that are never returned to their respective pet parents. Microchipping a dog or cat is an inexpensive solution that has many benefits. Here’s what you should know about microchipping your pet.
My Pet Has a Collar. Do We Still Need a Microchip?
Many pet parents provide their pets with ID tags and collars. Unfortunately, if your pet is lost or stolen a collar can fall off or be easily removed. Microchipping your pet, on the other hand, gives you the peace-of-mind that they can be easily identified with a simple scan. According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, it is much easier to reunite microchipped pets with their pet parents compared to pets without microchips. At The Shot Spot, our veterinarians provide microchipping service for our clients to ensure your pet’s can always find their way back home to you!
What Is a Microchip and How Does It Work?
A microchip is a permanent method of electronic identification your veterinarian will insert under the skin just between your pet’s shoulder blades. This implementation is quick and easy and can be done during a routine exam (Teeth To Tail) or while your pet is under anesthesia for another procedure like a spay or neuter. The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and encoded with a unique pet identification number. Unlike the collars and ID tags, microchips can never break or fall off.
Your pet’s microchip number will be recorded on a microchip database registry, along with your pet’s name and your contact information. The Shot Spot staff recommends all pet parents ensure that their pet’s details are accurately recorded in the microchip database and always remains up to date. Should your pet get lost, local shelters and veterinary hospitals can scan your pet’s microchip, helping to quickly and efficiently identify your pet and reconnect you with your lost loved one. The Shot Spot microchips include free lifetime registration and are registered on the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup database.
But My Pet Stays Inside…
Even if your pet stays indoors, it is still a good idea to have them microchipped. Indoor pets often get out of the house by mistake and can pull off their collars and ID tags.
During natural disasters like tornadoes, hurricanes or wildfires, pet homelessness goes up because pet parents’ are separated from their pet parents. In crisis times like these, it is imperative to have an easy way to identify pets. Collars can fall off or break but a microchip is always there. Even if your pet is an indoor pet, you cannot guarantee that certain circumstances out of your control will not cause you to be separated from them. Microchips are the best way to improve your chances that your pet will be returned to you in these situations.
Does your pet need a microchip? Book an appointment with The Shot Spot today and let us help you protect your pet for years to come.