August 15th is “National Check the Chip Day”! To celebrate, we wanted to share a few reasons why registering your pet with a microchip is a great idea. A pet microchip is a small identification circuit implanted under the skin that can be scanned for an identification number. That unique series of numbers is registered with a microchip company to help find the owner’s contact information.
A microchip is great for lost pets. When a person finds a lost pet, they can bring them in to local shelters or veterinary clinics for scanning. Here at Fox Hill, we have a universal microchip scanner that allows us to read numbers from multiple different companies. This is a great way to help lost pets return home quickly. Even pets who travel long distances from home can still be returned from many miles away once their microchip is scanned.
Another great reason to microchip your pet is proof of ownership. If you were in a situation when your pet was stolen or mistaken for another, the registration of the microchip information would prove who the pet truly belongs to.
Microchips are a permanent identification source. Once inserted they stay within the body wall of the pet and use a radio-frequency instead of any type of battery power. Tags can fade over time and collars can break or fall off. When a pet runs away it usually loses its identification information so this is a great way to make sure your pet always has a way to return home. It is also a less painful and more universal permanent identification source compared to branding or tattoos.
A microchip is inserted with a needle injection, which is simple because it is so small. A great time to microchip your pet is soon after you welcome them to the family, but they can be inserted at any time or age. We suggest a good time to get a microchip is when you have your pet spayed or neutered. Most adopted pets who come from animal shelters will have a microchip number registered when they go to their new home. When adopting a pet, make sure to have the shelter scan the chip before you leave so you can make sure all the information is correct.
With 6 to 8 million pets getting lost every year, now is the best time to get a microchip for your pet so they can return home safely.