Microchipping

One out of three household pets is lost at least once during its lifetime. Of those lost, only ten percent will be found. Pet identification is helping increase the odds for recovering many of these lost pets. Many pet owners agree that microchipping has become the preferred method of tracking a missing pet.

What is microchipping?

Microchipping is a permanent way to identify your pet. Using a sterile needle, your veterinarian will insert a tiny transponder (the size of one grain of rice) under your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades. No anesthesia is required, so your pet can be microchipped during a routine visit to your vet. The transponder contains a microchip number which is linked to your name and contact information in a national microchip database. When a lost pet is brought to a vet clinic or animal shelter, a microchip scanner is waived over the pet to see if a microchip is in place. The microchip number is displayed, the manufacturer contacted, and the owner of the pet is called to retrieve their lost pet.

Both cats and dogs can be microchipped, and the transponder stays with your pet throughout its lifetime. Some animals may experience a brief moment’s discomfort (similar to a pinch or an insect bite) when the microchip is inserted. Less invasive than tattooing and more reliable than an ID tag on your dog’s collar, microchipping is a great permanent way to ensure your cat or dog makes it home quickly.