Microchipping
Pet Microchipping
Thousands of pets are lost every year, and losing a pet can be an incredibly sad and stressful experience. Unfortunately, most pets that go missing are never reunited with their families. To greatly increase the chances of being reunited with a lost pet, we recommend microchipping. Even indoor-only pets should be microchipped, as they will have an even more difficult time finding their way home should they wander outside.
How Does Pet Microchipping Work?
A pet microchip is a small device, about the size of a grain of rice, that contains a unique identifying number. Veterinarians insert microchips between the shoulder blades of pets, using hypodermic needles. The insertion process is quick and simple, requiring no anesthetic.
Pet owners then register their pet’s unique microchip ID number with a national microchip database. This ties your pet’s identification number to your personal contact information.
If a microchipped pet becomes lost and is turned into a veterinary clinic or animal shelter, a veterinarian or shelter representative will scan the cat or dog to determine if a microchip is present. Professionals working at animal care facilities, such as these, are able to access the national database of microchip IDs and pet owner contact information. They will then contact you, to let you know where you can collect your found pet.
Is Microchipping Really More Effective than ID Tags?
According to the American Medical Veterinary Association (AVMA), microchips are incredibly effective, especially compared to collar ID tags. These tags often become lost or worn to the point of being unreadable. AVMA data shows that only 1.8% of lost cats without microchips are reunited with their families, compared to 38.5% of those with microchips. Only 21.9% of lost dogs without microchips find their families. Whereas, 52.2% of microchipped dogs are returned.
Convenient At-Home Microchipping
Capital Home Veterinary Care provide easy, convenient pet microchipping in the comfort of your own home. While no one plans to lose a pet, it does happen. Should your cat or dog become lost, you will be happy to have the improved chance of reuniting that a microchip provides.
