Microchipping Saves Lives

if we don't protect our pets they may become statistics. Not something we would want when we could avoid the problem by using today's technology. The Microchip RFID Tag is a simple and useful tool in stopping uneccesary euthanasia.

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.

Over 840,000 dogs and 572,320 cats suffered a needless death due to the lack of identification when they were discovered as strays. These figures come from the 1997 survey of 1000 animal shelters across the US conducted by the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy. These are alarming statistics which highlight the importance of microchipping and registering your contact information for your pet which wold dramatically lower these numbers.

When natural disasters such as Hurricane Rita or Katrina happen we see the importance of microchipping as the reunification of lost pets is enhanced. Accidents and natural disasters happen ,as do open doors and unlocked fences which allow the pet to escape without being noticed. Leashes and collars as well as collar tags can fall off or be lost and animals go missing. While some purebred pets are tattooed upon birth by breeders and kennels this is still mainly done for show dogs. The responsible answer is microchipping.

The cost of microchipping varies by veterinary charges and registration fees varies but is usually around $45.00 and registration with the recovery services is free or a small annual fee to keep the registration current when people move. Some of these services keep the data current by regularily contacting and confirming the contact information with the owner. Others rely on the owner to keep the record updated. Some municipal governments use the tag information to license pets in their area and provide support for animal control activities. Others use metal tags and tokens that can fall off and be lost.

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.

The information contained in the registration allows the rapid contact and return of the animal upon arriving at animal welfare organization. Shelters across North America have scanners that can read and identify a wide variety of chips being used. In the United States there is a movement to international microchip standards (ISO) which are used in most developed countries including Canada. 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.

When an animal arrives at a shelter or is taken to a veterinarian it can be readily scanned and its microchip naumber read. Each brand of microchip, such as 24Petwatch,Avid or Home Again, has specific identifiers that indicate the manufacturer. All have call-centers which have toll-free numbers. The 24Petwatch registry allows for the regisrtation of all microchips regardless of maker. Their database is also integrated with the largest online realtime shelter management software in North America, which allows the shelter to search their database as well as those of some 850 other agencies. This combined with accurate updating by owners of address changes allows you to find your lost pet quickly.