Identification Microchips Help Find Pets
My-Dog.info > Dog Care
by Spc. Sheila Hamlett Veterinary Services, Fort Knox, Ky.
Every year more than 10 million cats and dogs become lost.
Some sneak out through a hole in the fence or squeeze past
their owners while the groceries are being brought inside. Some
become frightened and try to hide. Others are stolen. However the
animal becomes lost, it can be a traumatic experience for those
who consider their pet to be a member of the family.
Only 50 percent of dogs and 25 percent of cats are wearing
collars when they arrive at a shelter. Even fewer have
identification tags. This is why so many good cats and dogs have
to be put to death. The animal is found but the owner is lost.
There is a way to permanently identify your pet so that it can
be returned to you. It is called the microchip.
The microchip is as small as a grain of rice and is placed
under the skin between the shoulder blades. It is not a Big
Brother-type tracking device. Your pet cannot be followed via
satellite. Each microchip has a unique code, which is registered
with the chip's company. The code corresponds to the pet owner's
information and is stored in a database. When a lost animal comes
into a shelter, it is scanned with a hand-held scanner, like
groceries at the checkout lane.
If the animal carries a microchip, the code will appear on the
monitor. The code can then be reported to the company and the pet
and owner will soon be reunited. Most microchips can be read
nationwide and some can be read worldwide.
Being in the military means moving around frequently. If you
plan on taking your pet with you, it is important to know the
regulations of the area you are moving to.
Many European countries, including Germany, require certain
breeds to be microchipped. Hawaii and Guam have made
microchipping mandatory for all pets. Because of the problems
with strays and with soldiers abandoning pets, some military
installations have also made it mandatory for all pets kept on
post to be microchipped.
These regulations are to ensure that pets are returned to
their owners. With the cost of handling millions of stray animals
in the United States approaching $1 billion, this is a simple way
to help cut the cost.
This does not mean animals without microchips will be
immediately put to death. Attempts would first be made to find
them a new home. Having pets microchipped means more time can be
spent on finding homes for true strays. It also means your pet
will not be put to death or adopted by a new family, because the
microchip will help to locate you.
Most veterinary clinics offer microchipping services. The chip
is inserted with a needle, much like a vaccination. It only takes
a few seconds and most pets have little or no discomfort. They
may be a little tender and have slight swelling over the area for
a few days, just like with vaccinations. It is safe for puppies
and kittens and the chip is made from biocompatible materials.
Pets are members of the family. Should they become lost, help
keep them from becoming one of the millions of animals put to
death in America's shelters by having them microchipped. Make an
appointment with your veterinarian today. Your pet's life could
depend on it.
|
