A pet microchip is a tiny, rice-sized chip that is injected into the neck of your dog or cat. If your pet becomes lost, a microchip can help identify it and return it to you. Now, you may be wondering if they really work though, and will they bring your pet home. Listed below are five facts about microchipping that may answer your questions.
Five facts about microchipping
- Microchips Are Not Like GPS Devices Some people are under the false belief that a cat or dog microchip works much like a GPS tracking device. However, this is not true. A pet microchip is a radio-frequency identification impla nt (RFID) that simply provides your pet with a permanent ID number.
- A Scanner is Required to Identify Your Pet If your dog or cat becomes lost and is found by a veterinarian or animal shelter, it can be identified with a microchip scanner. The scanner will identify the microchip’s ID number, which can then be traced back to you. While collars and tags can help, they are of no use should they fall off or be removed.
- Microchipping is Painless Some people also believe that microchipping is painful to pets. This is not true either. In fact, the procedure is very simple, requires no anesthetic and is pain-free. Microchips are implanted by a veterinarian and it is administered much like a vaccine through a sterile applicator under the skin of your pet’s shoulder blades.
- Microchips Are Affordable If you think that pet microchips are expensive, you will be glad to know that they are really quite affordable. In many cases, you can get your pet microchipped by a vet for under $50, which includes registration to a pet-recovery database. Some carriers allow microchipping but not all.
- Pet-Recovery Services Maintain Your Records A pet microchip contains only a unique identification number for your pet: It does not contain your contact information. When your pet is scanned, the number is matched with numbers in the pet- recovery database to find your contact information so that you can be notified.
It is essential to note that you need to keep the database updated with any changes in your address or phone number. Nobody wants to lose their cherished friend, and a cat or dog microchip can help give you peace of mind if your pet becomes lost. Often pets adopted from a animal shelter are microchipped.
