What is pet microchipping?
A microchip consists of a tiny electronic transponder (about the size of a grain of rice) that stores information. When scanned with a specialized device, the information – including your pet’s name and your contact information – on the chip is can be read.
Pet microchips are a vital measure of protection for your pet.
- Each microchip contains a unique identification number, which helps identify your pet more quickly.
- When a lost or injured pet is taken to a veterinary clinic or shelter, they can be scanned for the presence of a microchip.
- If the pet has a chip, the scanner reads the pet’s ID number.
- If the chip has been properly registered, the clinic or shelter will give the number to the microchip company.
- Then the microchip company contacts you, and your pet can come home.
Unlike collars and tags, a microchip is implanted directly into your pet, just under the skin. This means it can’t be lost, damaged, or stolen. So long as the microchip remains, your pet has a way home.
Why should I microchip my pet?
- Luckily for all pet parents, pet microchipping is inexpensive. Considering that microchips tend to last about 25 years, the one-time fee is truly an investment in your pet’s health and safety.
- It works. A recent study on pet microchipping found that if a cat is microchipped, the return-to-owner rate is 20 times higher than if the cat was not microchipped.
- Pet microchipping is a permanent solution. Again, microchips are not exposed to the elements, cannot be damaged or stolen, and don’t have any batteries or moving parts. They never need to be replaced. Even if you change your contact information, all you have to do is contact your microchip company. You do not need to replace the actual microchip.
- All veterinary clinics and shelters know to scan for microchips. It’s standard practice when lost pets are brought in. Plus, no matter which microchip company you use, the special scanner will be able to read your pet’s microchip. As long as you register your pet’s ID number, any clinic or shelter will be able to contact you and return your pet.
How does the procedure work?
Because microchips are so tiny, the procedure is quick, simple, and virtually painless. First, each microchip comes pre-loaded in a sterile syringe. To implant the chip, your vet inserts the needle beneath the skin between your pet’s shoulder blades, pushes the plunger, and injects the chip. That’s it! Just like a routine vaccination, the entire process takes only seconds, with no anesthesia required.
Microchips do not need a power source and have no moving parts, so they never wear out. They’re composed of a material that is compatible with body tissues, so rejection and infection at the site are rare. After injection, the microchip becomes encased in tissue at the site, so there’s very little shifting.
After the chip is implanted, all you have to do is register your pet’s ID number. This will not only establish you as your pet’s owner, but it will also add your pet to the national recovery database. That’s what veterinarians use to track down your microchip company and contact information. As long as you register, your pet can be scanned and identified as yours.
Pets with microchips make it home more often than pets without microchips. That’s a proven fact. To learn more about pet microchipping and how you can provide your pet with a lifetime of protection, contact us today! Our dedicated and caring staff at Noah’s Ark is always happy to walk you through the microchipping process and help get your pet registered.