According to the American Humane Association, only about 17% of lost dogs and 2% of lost cats actually find their owners after being lost. In fact, more than 20 million pets are euthanized year after year because animal rescue units cannot find the original owners. But you need not fear because there is now an effective way of tracking down lost pets.
Lost pets can easily be found with a microchip. Every chip is encased in a smooth, strong biocompatible glass, and is small enough to fit into a hypodermic needle. The microchip is encoded with an identification number and this unique number can identify them throughout their life.
Veterinarians and most animal shelters can provide this service. If you opt to have a microchip inserted in your pet, the fee is $5 to $10 in most animal shelters, and about $50 at private veterinary clinics. The process is quick and painless as a microchip ID is a very small chip, it's just about the size of a grain of rice.
There are three companies that dominate the US market for pet microchips- AVID, HomeAgain and 24PetWatch The microchip manufacturer keep the chip numbers that you have purchased and all the necessary information in their databases to be able to traced you in the event that your pet gets lost.
The microchip implanted under the pet's skin reflects the low-frequency radio waves given by the scanner. The unique alphanumeric code is then retrieved, decoded, and displayed in the scanner readout window when the animal is scanned. Scanners can be handheld that have a reading range of about 3 inches and some are larger and more powerful that have reading ranges that vary from 6 to 20 inches.
If a pet is found by local authorities or taken to a shelter, it is scanned during intake to see if a chip exists. If a microchip is detected, authorities call the recovery service and provide them the ID number, the pet's description, and the location of the animal. The recovery service will be the one to notify the owner that the pet has been found, and where to go to recover the animal.
If you are traveling to a country in Europe and many other countries in the world, a microchip is considered mandatory as the immigration officers use it to compare the pet they are scanning to the veterinary documents you have presented. A microchip that meets ISO 11784 should be used, which is a 15-digit chip. However, China requires the 9-digit chip.
There are still some drawbacks despite the fact that microchips to track your pet are completely safe. Some owners are against microchips because there was an issue reported that these microchips cause Fibro Sarcomas in the animals that have been implanted with these devices.
However, a lot of pet owners are not bothered by this issue because of the advantages that microchipping offers. Injecting a microchip is just like any other injection or vaccination. Anesthesia is not even required or recommended. The AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association, 2007) goes on to state that "The chip is made out of an inert, biocompatible substance, which means it won't cause an allergic reaction in your furry friend, and it won't degenerate over time". When properly implanted, a small layer of connective tissue forms around the microchip thus actually preventing movement or migration of the chip.
Microchips provide an important extra level of protection for you and your pets in the event that your worst nightmare happens- your pet gets lost. But before you do anything drastic or something you might regret later, weigh your options first.
Lost pets can easily be found with a microchip. Every chip is encased in a smooth, strong biocompatible glass, and is small enough to fit into a hypodermic needle. The microchip is encoded with an identification number and this unique number can identify them throughout their life.
Veterinarians and most animal shelters can provide this service. If you opt to have a microchip inserted in your pet, the fee is $5 to $10 in most animal shelters, and about $50 at private veterinary clinics. The process is quick and painless as a microchip ID is a very small chip, it's just about the size of a grain of rice.
There are three companies that dominate the US market for pet microchips- AVID, HomeAgain and 24PetWatch The microchip manufacturer keep the chip numbers that you have purchased and all the necessary information in their databases to be able to traced you in the event that your pet gets lost.
The microchip implanted under the pet's skin reflects the low-frequency radio waves given by the scanner. The unique alphanumeric code is then retrieved, decoded, and displayed in the scanner readout window when the animal is scanned. Scanners can be handheld that have a reading range of about 3 inches and some are larger and more powerful that have reading ranges that vary from 6 to 20 inches.
If a pet is found by local authorities or taken to a shelter, it is scanned during intake to see if a chip exists. If a microchip is detected, authorities call the recovery service and provide them the ID number, the pet's description, and the location of the animal. The recovery service will be the one to notify the owner that the pet has been found, and where to go to recover the animal.
If you are traveling to a country in Europe and many other countries in the world, a microchip is considered mandatory as the immigration officers use it to compare the pet they are scanning to the veterinary documents you have presented. A microchip that meets ISO 11784 should be used, which is a 15-digit chip. However, China requires the 9-digit chip.
There are still some drawbacks despite the fact that microchips to track your pet are completely safe. Some owners are against microchips because there was an issue reported that these microchips cause Fibro Sarcomas in the animals that have been implanted with these devices.
However, a lot of pet owners are not bothered by this issue because of the advantages that microchipping offers. Injecting a microchip is just like any other injection or vaccination. Anesthesia is not even required or recommended. The AAHA (American Animal Hospital Association, 2007) goes on to state that "The chip is made out of an inert, biocompatible substance, which means it won't cause an allergic reaction in your furry friend, and it won't degenerate over time". When properly implanted, a small layer of connective tissue forms around the microchip thus actually preventing movement or migration of the chip.
Microchips provide an important extra level of protection for you and your pets in the event that your worst nightmare happens- your pet gets lost. But before you do anything drastic or something you might regret later, weigh your options first.
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