Microchips. Right or wrong?

Of over 100,000 pets in our practice, 5 weekly are missing. Less than 30% of lost pets are returned home. And that is with collars, tags, microchips, and primarily indoor environment by caring owners that comply with good standards of responsibility and management of their critters. Anything you can do to increase the possibility of a pet finding its way back home is definitely more beneficial than detrimental to pets.

We get strays in weekly, as our current clients bring in the strays they encounter, and we scan them before we do anything else. Of the strays, we find less than 10% are microchipped, and of those microchipped stray critters, only 21 this past year, for example, had current, active information associated with the chip ID #, so an owner could be contacted and reunite pet and family. The strays without microchips and collars were adopted by our clients, and were definitely microchipped and collared the remainder of their lives. Many strays aren't fortunate enough to be found by such altruistic owners though. A microchip would save these stray animals' lives and reunite them with loved ones. This is an invaluable asset to pets and their families.

Microchips are not risky. They are a small computer chip, the size of a grain of rice, which contains an ID number that is scanned, and the chip itself does NOT emit signals or waves, or any other communication or radiation. The only way information is received is when a specific scanner is used to read the number associated with that individual chip. No other information is in the chip. This is why it's imperative to update the number whenever an owner relocates or transfers ownership, with the appropriate information by contacting the registered database company by which the chip was activated.

Advantages:

Permanent ID that won't fall off, rip off, or be removed by new "owners" or thieves

Inexpensive

Non-invasive

Less Painful than a Tattoo ID, and does not fade or distort with age as a tattoo

Easily done when pet is sedated for another procedure already

Quick and effective implant via needle, with minimal discomfort, for maximal lifetime ID

Easier to update than taking the time and money to update a new tag

Registry has more information than a tattoo or tag, so an owner is located more effectively and efficiently

Often, when a stray pet that is microchipped is in hospital or shelter, this proves they have a family, and they won't perform additional vaccines, tests, exams, or diagnostics until they are sure a current owner with current healthcare records is unavailable/unreachable. They are more likely to be perceived as someone's loving pet, and handled as a known domesticated socialized critter, striving to locate the owner, instead of a potentially stray, feral, homeless, unsocialized critter handled with caution.

Our city has over 400,000 pets, and a minimum of 20 a week are missing. This is a much higher rate than "1 in a million" and we aren't even a large city. The busier and more populated the city, the more likely a pet will permanently go missing, with higher risks of fatality. Fliers are constantly plastered all over our local neighborhoods beseeching witnesses to call anxious owners with any information regarding their missing critter. If a scared, lost dog or cat manages to be caught by a person, they are lucky. So many are too frightened to approach people, as the trauma of being out in the world of noises and sudden movement without their humans is severely mind-crippling. Their instincts to survive dissuade them from approaching people. By the time someone manages to enclose them or tease them into a trap with food, they usually have lost their collar, if they ever had one. Microchips are the only way these strays have a good chance of being reunited with their owners.

Personal experience: Of the 34 dogs and cats I've fostered, 7 dogs and 6 cats I've owned, 2 I've lived with as roommates, and 8 non-microchipped strays I've found, I implanted all of them with microchips. 3 fosters went missing after adoption, 1 of my own dogs leapt through a screen after a deer, 1 cat darted out a door when new to the home and insufficiently isolated, and a roommate's dog's leash broke when in a strange part of town where the sudden use of loud construction equipment caused her to flail and bolt. These are too many chances. All were recovered by searching diligently daily, advertising door to door, online, newspapers, with shelters and hospitals. But, it was a relief to know that if one managed to get picked up by animal control or a stranger, once it was scanned they'd know it belonged to someone.

Where on earth did you get the 1 in a million figure? In all likelyhood, throughout the lifetime of your dog, they will escape/get loose/forget the come command or get lost atleast once(often more). Lots of dogs get lost. If you look around you wil find lost posters & ads everywhere! Look in the shelters & you will find many well fed well groomed dogs who were picked up for wandering loose.

I think that microchipping should be mandatory. Then people couldn't just dump their dogs. Fewer dogs would end up in shelters, as the owners could be traced.

Microchipping has been used for years in our pets.Are there cases where they have caused harm, no. While a few animals do have an immune response to the introduction of a microchip, these cases are extremely rare & easily corrected(you remove the microchip.). Occasionally the microchip will be pushed out soon after insertion-but again this is extremely rare.

Collars can get lost/removed. Tattos fade or can be changed.Not to mention that tattos are not registered in a database.Branding is cruel(and fortunately not used anymore.).Microchips are permanent & universal.

Yes microchip. Your dog can't call home nor can they tell people who they're "parents" are.

Take each puppies to the vet and feature them test for the chip. You rather should not be equipped to consider the chip if it is planted effectively. I suspect your woman's chip is great. If it's certainly long gone, you have to uncover it. A migrating microchip can paintings it is manner into an organ and motive extreme harm. It's infrequent, however it occurs. If your male's chip is migrating, it will have to be eliminated and don't forget having it changed. A lot extra microchips migrate than the businesses could such as you to feel. Two of my puppies have had their chips migrate and each had been chipped by way of 2 specific reliable, skilled veterinarians. The one on my feminine is long gone-- I suspect it labored it is long ago out the injection website, however I spent a few hundred greenbacks in complete-frame Xrays to be certain it hadn't long gone deeper into her frame. I determined the microchip on my male final week whilst he ruptured the abscess he had on his elbow-- it contained the microchip and has on the grounds that healed. The sanatorium wherein you had the chips performed will have to change them in the event that they had been improperly implanted or if they've moved.

The chances of your dog being lost are much greater than the chances he will have complications with the microchip. I think it's worth it. Even people are being microchipped nowadays, it's a safe procedure. It's your choice in the end though. Obedience training, a fenced yard, and a secure collar with tags are also very effective ways to keep him safe.

let me put this spin on it.

it's not anything but a piece of poop if you live where the shelters, rescues and veterinary offices dont have the equipment to check or neglect to check.

it is also not good if someone simply finds the dog and takes it then brings it to the vet for routine shots and the vet might not check or question it at all.

to me yes i would get one but i would also have dog tags on at all times (the ones that work like a microchip) plus i would have the emails & phone numbers of the local rescues, shelters & veterinary offices and have them be on the look out this would increase the likelihood that someone would scan the dog.

computers can only do so much

Yes you should microchip your puppy!

It is just an injection under the skin, it is the size of a grain of rice.

You could open your door someday and your dog takes off.

Also when your dog is lost you would contact your local humane society because they scan

all dogs that come in.

never feed your dog purina dog food

food should not contain corn wheat or soy

always plenty of fresh clean water

I recommend a harness for your puppy instead of a collar.

Would be worth the risk to me. It can be removed be vet if necessary. It might not be only answer to getting your pet back but it is huge help & good proof of ownership which cannot be easily removed like a collar/tags. The chance of getting lost/stolen are always there & never what someone expects to happen to them.

Microchips don't hurt the dog, and it could save you a lot of hassle if your dog gets lost or something.

RIGHT! If your puppy ever got out...guess what? The shelter or vet would be able to find you! I completely agree with micro chipping!

Right! Definitely right!

What happens if your puppy gets caught by a shelter when it gets out? They won't be able to find you, they'd have it put down or adopted out.