Microchipping Your Pet
One of every three pets will become lost at some point.
One of the most frightening experiences you can have as a pet owner is losing your four-legged friend. Statistics indicate that one of every three pets will become lost at some point in its lifetime, and 90 percent of those lost pets will never find their way home because of no identification. An even scarier statistic is that 30–60 percent of those pets will be euthanized at animal shelters because they have no identification.
Collars and nametags can be helpful in recovering a lost pet, but because they are external, they can be removed or lost. The permanent way to secure your pet’s identification is with a microchip implant, a safe and reliable way to improve the chances of recovering a lost pet.
At Sanderlin Veterinary Hospital, we feel dogs and cats are part of the family — yours and ours — so we recommend this quick and non-invasive procedure for all pets. The chip is inserted during a brief office visit and the cost is very reasonable.
This technology allows your pet to carry indispensable identification and contact information on a tiny electronic device, about the size and shape of a grain of rice. The chip can be quickly and easily implanted under the skin and remain as a permanent means to identify your pet if lost. This office procedure is as easy and as painless as a vaccination.
Each microchip has a unique number. This number, along with information about the owner and pet, are added to a national registry. Most veterinarians and animal shelters have electronic scanners for detecting and reading these implanted microchips. If a lost pet is found, and the microchip is scanned, the registry is called and the owner is contacted.
Microchips are not GPS devices and they don’t provide real-time tracking. But, they are still the best way to help a lost pet get back to you safely!
If you’d like to learn more, or to schedule your furry friend to receive a microchip, give us a call.
