According to the American Humane Association, it’s estimated that around 10 million dogs and cats are lost or stolen each year in the United States. This means that about one-in-three pets will go missing during their lifetime. Although missing pets can be recovered through a number of means, imagine how many can be reunited with their loved ones with the help of a microchip.
Dogs with microchips are more than twice as likely to be returned to their owners, and microchipped cats are almost 20 times as likely to be reunited with their families. If a pet is not wearing a collar and tags, or if the collar is lost or removed, then the presence of a microchip might be the only way the pet’s owner can be found. In this piece, we’ll be going over why you should consider microchipping your pet.
What is Microchipping and How Does it Work?
Microchipping is a procedure that’s been adopted by countless pet owners across the world to help locate their furry loved ones if they ever become lost. Now, it’s important to understand how a microchip works first. The chip itself contains a unique identification number and is about the size of a grain of rice. The doctor injects the microchip under the skin between the shoulder blades which only takes a few seconds and is very similar to when your pet receives their routine vaccines.
A microchip is NOT used to locate your animal through GPS-like technology. By this we mean that a microchip does not help to pinpoint your pet’s location. Instead, when a stray cat or dog is brought into a veterinary clinic or animal shelter, they are routinely scanned for a microchip. For pets who’ve been microchipped, a unique number will register on the scanner. This unique identification number can then be used to retrieve the owner’s contact information through a confidential database so that they can be notified that their pet has been found.
HomeAgain® Microchips
Valley Animal Hospital is proud to use the HomeAgain® brand microchip for all of our clients’ pets. HomeAgain® microchips are the only microchips on the market that have the Bio-Bond™ patented anti-migration feature to prevent them from migrating after being implanted.
Here are a few other things to know about these chips:
- Placing a microchip doesn’t require any anesthetic and only takes a few seconds.
- If a pet is not wearing a collar and tags, or if the collar is lost or removed, then the presence of a microchip might be the only way the pet’s owner can be found.
- As we mentioned earlier, the microchip can help identify your pet, but they should still wear a collar with your updated contact info.
- A handheld microchip scanner is used to detect a microchip’s unique identification number which will be displayed on the scanner’s screen.
- If you adopt a pet from a shelter or breeder, chances are they may already be microchipped! Contact our vets to find out if you aren’t sure.
- Your pet only ever needs to be microchipped once. Microchips require no power source and have no moving parts, therefore, there’s nothing that can wear them out or need to be replaced.
If these points have convinced you that it’s time to microchip your pet, then contact us today!
Make Locating Your Pet Easier
Losing track of a pet can be a real nail-biting experience, but with a microchip, it can be easier to identify them should they be rescued by a shelter or vet clinic. Make things easier on you and your family by opting for a microchip injection for your cat or dog. Valley Animal Hospital is conveniently located near McAllen and can help with a multitude of other services besides microchipping!
