Keeping You and Your Furry Co-Pilot Connected with Microchips
Beginning in the UK in the 1980s, microchips have been used to connect lost pets back home for
almost 40 years. It’s common when you take a new pet to their first vet appointment they recommend
microchipping your animal. Shelters will always microchip a pet before they go to a forever home.
But what makes them so prevalent? Why do so many people recommend them? What do they
even do? While microchips are common to get, many don’t know exactly what they are or what they can
do.
What are microchips?
Vets and shelter workers have readers that will show the ID number stored on the chip and if that chip is registered. If the chip is registered, they can use this number to look up the pet’s name and description. Depending on the microchip and company, the person looking it up may also be able to see information about a vet clinic the owner listed. If your pet is lost or stolen, this number can be flagged so when it is scanned it will pop up that they are missing and have family looking for them. If your pet is not marked lost, but ends up in a shelter after being found, they can use the ID number to contact you. This is why it is so important to update your microchip regularly even if your animal does not go outside. The place that houses the information for the microchip will then contact the owner if a pet is found.
When scanned microchips will not give out your name or address. While the company may ask you to register an address, it is incredibly difficult for anyone to see that information besides those who work in animal welfare. If a person has a microchip reader it will not automatically pull up their information, and even with the number they will likely only be able to see that it is registered and when it was last updated.
Will a Microchip hurt my pet?
In all the time that microchips have been used, over 4 million animals have been microchipped and only 391 adverse reactions have been reported. Of these reactions, most are about irritation at the injection site of recently performed insertions. Meanwhile, the benefits are that thousands of lost pets have been returned home. Cats that are microchipped are significantly more likely to be sent home than those who are not microchipped. In the rare cases of pet theft, the microchip also identifies that the animal is part of your family. Microchips are cheap and last the lifetime of your pet. Vets and animal welfare advocates deem microchips as completely safe and should be part of your pet’s standard of care.
When should I get my pet a microchip?
Chipping can be done at the vet clinic while awake, as it is inserted with a needle, though most kittens and puppies will get them while they are being spayed or neutered and under anesthesia. Once your pet is microchipped you should update the information on the chips database as soon as possible. This information should be updated at least once a year if not more often. While some companies are beginning to work with vet offices to automatically register your microchip, it is still a good idea to double check all the information is up to date.
How do I report my pet lost or stolen?
By logging into your account on their microchip’s database or looking up your pet’s microchip number on the database, it should give you the option from there to mark a pet as found or lost. This will flag the account so when the microchip is scanned and looked up, the number will mark the pet as lost. This signals that someone is actively looking for this animal, and their vet or the database will contact the owner if the animal has been found. If you find a pet and bring them to a vet or shelter, the first thing they will do is scan for a microchip. If they do not have a chip, they have no way of knowing if the animal has a family looking for them. A shelter may begin putting them through the process of going up for adoption if they do not hear from someone looking for them. If your pet does not have a microchip, you may never know they were brought to a shelter and could lose your co-pilot, a heart-breaking event for all involved.
If your pet goes missing, microchip or not, please let local shelters and vet offices know with a picture of the animal, basic health details, and your contact info. That way if your pet does come through their doors, they already have a heads up for them!
Does a microchip cost money to stay active?
Nope! Besides the initial price of the chip itself, you do not have to pay any kind of fee to have your information stored. Many different microchip companies offer bonuses for monthly fees (such as collars, vet discounts, or newsletters), but these are not required to save you and your pet’s info with them. Be wary of any site that says you must pay a reoccurring fee for your microchip.
Can I GPS locate my pet with a microchip?
No, microchips are more like an NFC (near-field communication) tag, they only store basic information and cannot be used to locate your animal in real time. However, air tag collars will allow you to track your pet via your phone. This will not work if your pet takes off their collar, but if you have an animal that likes to roam this can be a good option to help find them day to day.
Microchips can only benefit you and your furry family members. They keep you connected without the worry of them losing their collar should they run from home. The benefits vastly outweigh the incredibly rare negatives. If you need to get your pet chipped, you can set up an appointment with us at Galaxy Cats and we can help you stay connected.