Microchips help lost pets be reunited with their owners.
At least 7 million cats and dogs are lost from their families each year, the vast majority never finding their way home. Despite best intentions, or collars with tags which can come off the pet, the surest way to be reunited with your lost companion is through microchipping. Microchips can be implanted by a veterinarian for an average cost of $55 in 2010. This is a quick and generally painless procedure that can save owners a great deal of heartache.
How the Microchip Works
Microchip
Microchips are small, passive transponders, about the size of a grain of rice, encapsulated in glass. Each has a unique identification number that is detected by a scanner through radio frequency. Each chip is accompanied by contact information that must be filled out and submitted by the owner to the chip manufacturer. Submission of this paperwork is the only way the microchip will be effective. A hand-held scanner reads the radio frequency of the chip as it is passed over the animal, displaying the owner's contact information.
Implanting the Chip
Veterinarians implant the microchips in cats and dogs at the base of the neck, between the shoulder blades, through the use of a needle in only a few seconds. Within 24 hours, the chip bonds to subcutaneous tissue. Most veterinarians and animal shelters have use of the scanners.
Different Types of Microchips
Manufacturers of the microchips used to use different radio frequencies, and identification was only detectable if the scanner was reading the same frequency as the chip. Since 1996, only chips operating on the frequency of 125 kHz have been implanted in pets, and companies have been producing universal scanners that will read any type of chip. The American MicroChip Advisory Council is working to maintain a network of all the registry databases.
Microchips Save Pets
Nearly 4 million pets are euthanized every year, including those who were not reunited with their owners in a timely manner. Shelters routinely scan animals as they are brought in and if no microchip is detected, the shelter can house the animal for only so long before the burden becomes too great. It is best to have regular identification and rabies tags attached to your pet's collar, in addition to using the microchip.
How Else Are Chips Used?
Many types of livestock animals are microchipped, primarily horses, but also parrots, alpacas, pigs, sheep, goats and rabbits. The chips cannot track the animals, but other information is available such as temperature of the animal. This allows farmers to remove an ill animal from a herd to prevent spread of disease. There are countless stories where the microchips have saved the fate of farmers, especially in cases like Hurricane Katrina which separated so many owners from their pets and livestock. The microchip has also helped identify pets that were stolen and resold.
Tips
The microchip is only able to reunite you with your pet if you keep your contact information current. Be sure to inform the manufacturer if you move or change phone numbers.
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