Microchip

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Does a microchip really make a difference?

Registered microchips give lost pets the best chance of returning home. Up to 8 million animals end up in shelters every year. Unfortunately, only 15-20% of dogs and less than 2% of cats are ever reclaimed by their owners. One of the ways to increase the chances of finding your lost pet is having it microchipped.

What is a microchip?

Photo: Reuters

A microchip is a small device, about the size of a large grain of rice, that is placed under the skin of an animal. It uses RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) technology, is inactive until scanned. Each chip contains a unique identification number that is listed on a national database which holds all the owner’s contact details such as their address and phone number. It is hermetically sealed, and barring rare complications, dogs and cats are unaffected by them.

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How does it work?

A needle is used to place a little chip under the animal’s skin, usually between the shoulder blades. That chip has a unique number on it that can be picked up and read by a scanner. It takes seconds to get your pet microchipped, or about the same amount of time it takes to give any injection. We give your pet a local anesthetic for the discomfort or pain, and all they feel is a slight pinch. Some people also choose to get their pets microchip when their pets are being spayed or neutered. Our veterinarians implant the chips themselves, because it does matter where the chip is put and how it's injected.

Microchip Success Rates

The American Humane Association estimates over 10 million dogs and cats are lost or stolen in the U.S. every year. Consider these statistics when it comes to lost pets and microchip success rates:
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• One in three pets will become lost at some point during their life.
• A study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association, including 53 animal shelters across the U.S., confirmed the high rate of return of microchipped dogs and cats to their families, and the importance of microchip registration. 

From the AVMA study

• Only about 22 percent of lost dogs that entered the animal shelters were reunited with their families. However, the return-to-owner rate for microchipped dogs was over 52 percent (a 238 percent increase).
• Less than 2 percent of lost cats that entered the animal shelters were reunited with their families. The return-to-owner rate for microchipped cats was dramatically higher at over 38 percent (more than 2000 percent better).

Only 58 percent of the microchipped animals’ microchips had been registered in a database with their pet parent’s contact information so make sure your information is up to date and registered!

Success stories abound! Many families have been happily reunited - even years later because their pet was microchipped. This is why we highly encourage our clients to microchip their pet. Are you ready to get your pet microchipped?