| Microchipping Your Pets | 
We're Microchipped! |
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When your pet is separated from you, you want to make sure that someone can help you to get back together. That someone needs to be able to check your pet and find out who the owner is.
Collars and tags are great, but they're not perfect:
- Collars can come off, or be taken off
- Tags can wear out and be hard to read
- Some pets can't wear collars
What if there were a way to identify your pet that was permanent, and provided absolute proof of ownership?
There is! Microchips are the single best way to identify pets!
They're not perfect, either:
- It takes a scanner to read the microchip.
- You can't tell by looking if a pet is microchipped or not
- There are several different systems, and not all scanners can read all chips
However, having your pet microchipped is the single most important thing you can do to ensure that your pet will be reunited with you.
A microchip is a tiny (about the size of a grain of rice) capsule containing a permanent ID code that emits a signal on a specific radio frequency that enables the scanner to read the code. This information is then matched with owner identification data on file.
Inserting the microchip is quick, sterile, and no more painful than a routine vaccination. After it's in, the animals don't notice it. The chip is inserted between the pet's shoulder blades.
For best results, check with your local animal control agency to see which system is most commonly used in your area. Ask them which scanner or scanners they use when pets are turned in to the shelter. That will help you to decide the best type of chip to use.
Some day, there may be a universal system. Until then, the best protection you can give your pet is to have them microchipped as soon as possible.
The Humane Society of the United States has more information on issues regarding microchips. Click Here to go to that site.
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"If you love them, chip them!"
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