Come Home: The Benefits of Microchipping Your Pet
It’s late and your pet has managed to sneak out. It’s happened before, but he’s usually home by now. You call his or her name into the darkness and hope that any second you’ll hear the sound of sweet relief coming from the tags or bell dangling from his collar. When all you hear is silence, a specific dread may wash over you: your pet is out and about, maybe lost forever.
Microchipping your pet adds a certain type of security to this scenario, and can even lead to a sweet reunion. Join us as we describe the process, and list the benefits of microchipping your pet.
What Is A Microchip?
Microchipping your pet is safe, easy, and relatively painless. The chip itself is about the size of a grain of rice and is placed, via modified syringe and a large bore needle, between the shoulder blades, just beneath the skin. Any discomfort experienced closely mimics a vaccination. Pets can either be microchipped at the same time of a spay/neuter procedure to mitigate any pain, or without anesthesia at any wellness exam. He or she will be fine, either way.
The microchip is considered inert, as it has neither battery, nor internal power source. It is encapsulated with biocompatible glass and remains in place by the surrounding connective tissue. Each chip has it’s own 15-digit identification number and, when scanned by the appropriate device, the number is picked up by radio waves and is then displayed on the hand-held scanner.
The Fine Print
While microchipping adds to the possibility of a safe homecoming, it shouldn’t be used alone or in lieu of a collar with visible tags and license.
It’s also important to remember that microchipping your pet is not complete without registering your contact information to the chip’s manufacturer, which is connected to a national microchip database.This is an extra step that, if missed, can stand in the way of a potential reunion. If you happen to relocate, always remember to update your pet’s microchip information.
Shelters or Rescues
If your pet is picked up by San Antonio Humane Society, or other animal control, he or she will be scanned upon arrival. If the scanner displays your pet’s unique numeric code, which is keyed into the national database, you two will be together soon.
Microchipping Your Pet
A collar with your pet’s visible identification plays a critical role, but microchipping your pet is the only sure-fire way to identify a lost or stolen pet. Your personal contact information is only displayed to the animal care professional that scans your pet and has access to the national database.
In a country where nearly half of all shelter animals meet an untimely end through euthanasia, microchipping is a wonderful peace of mind to positively ID a lost pet. Every year, thousands of pets are brought home thanks to this wonderful technology.
We are here to support any concerns about microchipping your pet, and hope you’ll give us a call with any questions.