Up to 8 million animals end up in shelters every year. If you’ve moved, or if any of your information (especially your phone number) has changed, make sure you update your microchip registration in the manufacturer’s database as soon as possible. Once your pet is microchipped, there are only three things you need to do: 1) make sure the microchip is registered 2) ask your veterinarian to scan your pet’s microchip at least once per year to make sure the microchip is still functioning and can be detected and 3) keep your registration information up-to-date. What should I do to “maintain” my pet’s microchip? The microchip databases are online or telephone-accessed databases, and are available 24/7/365. Rabies tag numbers also allow tracing of animals and identification of a lost animal’s owner, but it can be hard to have a rabies number traced after veterinary clinics or county offices are closed for the day. Your pet’s rabies tag should always be on its collar, so people can quickly see that your pet has been vaccinated for this deadly disease. But 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. If a pet is wearing a collar with tags when it’s lost, it’s often a very quick process to read the tag and contact the owner however, the information on the tags needs to be accurate and up-to-date. Microchips are great for permanent identification that is tamper-proof, but nothing replaces a collar with up-to-date identification tags. Does a microchip replace identification tags and rabies tags? A really good thing owners can do is that at every check-up ask your vet to scan the chip to make sure it’s still reading and it’s still where it should be, on the back near the shoulder blades. And chips can migrate, so if they’re scanning over the back and it’s migrated to the side, they may not find it. Scanners also depend on using the right technique to know how and where to scan. Of course, that assumes they have the time and manpower to scan every animal more than once. Sometimes they’ll have more than one scanner so they can find different chips. But in reality, not all shelters have universal scanners that work well. In an ideal world, all shelters would be using a universal scanner that works well to check every animal they find. There are more universal scanners now, but some work better than others. Do all scanners used by shelters pick up all microchips? And if you move or you change your phone numbers, you have to update that information. You have to get the paperwork and make sure that chip is registered to you, with your phone numbers. Many more pets are microchipped than are properly registered. I’m done.” But if your registration isn’t submitted and then kept current, it’s useless. A lot of people think, “OK, I’ve got this in. And that’s one of the most important things people need to remember – the chip is only as good as the registration. Once they get the chip’s number, and the company that made the chip, they’ll contact that company to find the owner. Some people think chips are like a tracker or a GPS device, but a microchip only works if someone scans the chip. It’s only going to help if someone picks up your pet and takes him to a shelter or veterinarian’s office to be scanned for a chip. How will it help me get my pet back if he is lost? The best reason to have your animals microchipped is the improved chance that you’ll get your animal back if it becomes lost or stolen. Why should I have my animals microchipped? If your pet is already under anesthesia for a procedure, such as neutering or spaying, the microchip can often be implanted while they’re still under anesthesia. No surgery or anesthesia is required-a microchip can be implanted during a routine veterinary office visit. It is no more painful than a typical injection, although the needle is slightly larger than those used for injection. It is injected under the skin using a hypodermic needle. How is a microchip implanted into an animal? Is it painful? Does it require surgery or anesthesia? The microchip itself is also called a transponder. The chip transmits the identification number to the scanner, which displays the number on the screen. The microchip itself does not have a battery-it is activated by a scanner that is passed over the area, and the radio waves put out by the scanner activate the chip. What is a microchip?Ī microchip is a small, electronic chip enclosed in a glass cylinder that is about the same size as a grain of rice. In addition to providing relief for the pet owner, locating owners more efficiently helps the shelter prevent overcrowding and reduce stress levels for all the animals. Microchips not only help people find their lost pets, but they have also helped shelters return animals to their rightful owners more quickly.
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