Sometimes, despite our best efforts, accidents happen. Someone leaves a fence gate open, your pooch slips out the door when you’re bringing in groceries, or your cat climbs the fence to visit the neighbors. All unintentional, but your pet escapes and gets lost. What do you do? If your pet is wearing a collar and ID tags, your chances of getting them back are good. However, if the collar is missing or the ID tags are outdated, you may never see your pet again. This is where microchipping and GPS pet collars come in handy, especially as National Check the Chip Day on August 15 reminds us of their importance.

Many pet parents and veterinarians recommend identification microchips implanted under your animal’s skin by your vet or local shelter to help you get your furbaby back home. These tiny transponders (about the size of a grain of rice) record your pet’s personal registration number and the phone number of the registry for that particular brand of chip. An animal shelter or vet clinic that finds your pet can contact the registry to get your name and phone number.

WHY MICROCHIPPING PETS IS IMPORTANT

Microchipping your pet makes it much more likely that you’ll get your animal back if it becomes lost.

A 2009 study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association reported that of 7,700 stray animals located at animal shelters nationwide, dogs without microchips were returned to their owners 21.9 percent of the time, while those with microchips made it home 52.2 percent of the time. Cats without microchips were reunited with their owners only 1.8 percent of the time, whereas microchipped cats went back home 38.5% of the time. Those microchipped animals that were not returned to their owners were found to have incorrect or no owner information in the registry database.

THE PROCEDURE OF MICROCHIPPING PETS

Typically, the chip is injected under the subcutaneous layer of skin on your pet’s shoulder or between the shoulder blades using a needle specially designed to fit that particular chip and to set it properly. It is no more painful than a typical injection, although the needle is slightly larger than those used for injections. Microchips should be implanted under the supervision of a veterinarian, as they know how to place them correctly and recognize signs of any problems.

Once the microchip is implanted, there is no need for further maintenance, although you will need to register the chip yourself and keep all the pertinent information updated in the registration database.

HOW DOES MICROCHIPPING WORK?

The microchip does not have a battery – it is activated by a scanner that is passed over the area, and the radio waves put out by the scanner activate the chip. The chip transmits your pet’s identification number to the scanner, which displays the number on the screen. The microchip itself is also called a transponder.

When an animal is found and taken to a shelter or veterinary clinic, one of the first things they do is scan your animal for a microchip. The identification number is then matched through the registry database to your current contact information so that you can be phoned or emailed about the whereabouts of your pet.

ARE THERE DIFFERENCES IN MICROCHIPS FOR PETS?

The frequency of a microchip actually refers to the frequency of the radio wave given off by the scanner that activates and reads the microchip. Examples of microchip frequencies used in the U.S. include 125 kiloHertz (kHz), 128 kHz, and 134.2 kHz.

However, the International Standards Organization, or ISO, has approved and recommended a global standard for microchips. The global standard is intended to create an identification system that is consistent worldwide. For example, if a dog with an ISO standard microchip implanted in the US travels to Europe with its owners and becomes lost, the ISO standard scanners in Europe would be able to read the dog’s microchip. If the dog was implanted with a non-ISO microchip and the ISO scanner was not forward- and backward-reading (universal), the dog’s microchip might not be detected or read by the scanner.

Forward-reading scanners only detect 134.2 kHz (ISO standard) microchips but will not detect 125 kHz or 128 kHz (non-ISO standard) microchips, like some of those found in this country. Universal scanners, those seen in the ISO system, detect all microchip frequencies. The main advantage of universal scanners is the improved chances of detecting and reading a microchip, regardless of the frequency. It also eliminates the need for multiple scanners with multiple frequencies.

Remember, microchips are great for tamper-proof, permanent identification, but nothing replaces a collar with up-to-date identification tags. If your pet is wearing a collar with tags when it’s lost, it’s often a very quick process to read the tag and find your contact information; however, the information on the tags needs to be accurate and up-to-date. But if your pet is not wearing a collar and tags, or if the collar is lost or removed, then the presence of a microchip might be the only way your pet can ever be returned to you.

COMBINING GPS PET COLLARS WITH MICROCHIPPING

While microchipping significantly increases the likelihood of recovering a lost pet, adding a GPS pet collar provides an extra layer of security. GPS pet collars, such as a GPS dog tracker, allow real-time tracking of your pet’s location, making it easier to find them quickly if they wander off. This combination ensures that if your pet’s collar is removed or lost, the microchip can still provide a backup method for identification.

National Check the Chip Day on August 15 graphic promotes microchippingNational Check the Chip Day on August 15 is the perfect reminder to not only check your pet’s microchip information but also consider the additional safety measures a GPS pet collar can provide. Ensuring your pet’s information is up-to-date and utilizing a GPS dog tracker can significantly increase the chances of reuniting with your lost pet. At VIP Pet Services, we prioritize your pet’s safety and well-being. Contact us today to learn more about our pet care services and how we can help keep your furry friends safe and secure.

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