The Importance of Microchipping Your Pet: A Lifesaving Decision

The worst nightmare for every pet owner is to lose their pet. Animals are part of the family, right? Wandering off, being stolen, or escaping from the yard are situations that no pet lover even wants to consider that they will never see their fur baby ever again. Microchipping — One of the best ways to track down your pet if it has run away. Form of permanent identification of your animal, a little chip with a unique serial number registered to your contacts is placed under its skin.

This article will discuss what microchipping is and how it works, the advantages and dangers associated with it, and how to get your pet microchipped. At the end of the post, you will know why microchipping should be done as part of a responsible pet ownership.

📌 What Is Microchipping?

Microchipping is a simple and permanent form of ID that requires a tiny microchip to be implanted under your pet’s skin. The device, which is about the size of a grain of rice, holds a distinctive ID number associated with the owner's information in a pet registry database.

A collar and tag can break, fade, or be removed, whereas a microchip is secure and will last the lifetime of a pet.

📟 How Does a Microchip Work?

A vet will inject a small chip (approximately the size of a kernel of rice) under the pet's skin, generally between the shoulder blades.

Every microchip has its own serial number which is registered in an animal register database.

When a lost pet is located, a vet or shelter will read the chip with a specialized scanner.

Scanners also display the individual identification number, which allows finding the owner contact information.

The owner finds out about their lost pet quickly and reunites with it safely.

🔍 Why Should You Microchip Your Cat?

Helps You Retrieve a Missing Pet

Animals wander off, escape their collars, or get out of the house. If someone picks them up and takes them to a vet or shelter, if they are microchipped they can be identified and the owner can be called immediately.

🐾 Statistics have shown that microchipped dogs are over two times more likely to be returned home and microchipped cats are twenty times more likely to make it home to their owners.

Provides Permanent Identification

Collars and ID tags are great but can fall off, break, or be forcibly removed. Microchips are everlasting and available for shelters and vets to read at any time.

Helps Prevent Pet Theft

High-profile instances of pet theft, particularly of purebred pooches, kitties, and exotic critters appear to be increasing. It also acts as a kind of possession ownership just like a microchip which means that if any pet is stolen, it cannot be passed off as yours if you have a microchip inside it.

A must-have: Traveling with Pets

Microchipping is often used for international travel with pets. A microchip is necessary for travel with your pet abroad and re-entry into your home country.

Advocates for the Welfare of Pets

Multiple microchips, which hold medical records & vaccination records and health info This comes in handy when a person is not available, but their pet needs emergency procedures.

Lowers The Euthanasia Rates In Shelters

A lot of pets in shelters are euthanized because their owners cannot be traced. Microchipping has a huge impact on those reunion rates — meaning more pets return home rather than heading to that vet for the kill.

🚨 THE MICROCHIPPING PROCESS (WHAT TO EXPECT)

Microchipping is an easy, fast and safe procedure performed at a veterinarian office, animal shelter or pet adoption center.

The Procedure

✔ A vet injects the minute microchip underneath the skin of the pet using a syringe.

✔ The process is quick and painless, similar to a regular vaccine

✔ The entire procedure is painless and does not require any anesthesia, meaning your pet will only feel a slight pinch.

Registering the Microchip

✔ Registered with owner details against the microchip

✔ The registration details will have the pet name, breed, health history, and also the owners telephone number, address, Email.

✔ Owners need to update their contact details when they move or change phone numbers in the database.

Scanning the Microchip

✔ When a pet is scanned by a vet or shelter staff and has a microchip, they will find it and contact you.

✔ It is a chip, but it is not a GPS chip, simply an identification number with a registry database link.

✔ The shelter then notifies the owner and brings them back together in little time.

👅 Debunking Popular Misconceptions About Microchipping

Although microchipping your pets can help a lot, there are also pet owners who hesitate to do so because they have misconceptions regarding microchipping. Let’s clear up some myths:

Myth 1: Microchips are GPS trackers.

Truth: Microchips cannot have GPS built in to them. They are only readable by a special reader that displays the pet's unique identification number and registered contact details.

Myth 2 Microchipping Causes Pain to the Pet❌

Myth: The high-dose influenza vaccine is not a lengthy process similar to that of a routine vaccination. For the majority of pets, it stings a little but causes no lasting pain.

False #: Microchips Just Turn Off✋

Reality: Microchips are created to be permanent. They are battery-free and consist of biocompatible, non-decomposable materials.

Microchip myth number four: Only dogs need microchips

Fact: All animals, not just dogs, but even cats, rabbits, birds, and exotic animals, will benefit from a microchip. Cats, especially cats, usually wander off and get lost.

⚠️ Are There Any Risks?

Microchipping is safe and highly advisable, but perhaps some pet owners are in doubt. Here’s what you need to know:

✔ Least Disorder: The procedure is same as vaccine injection and doesn't needs any anesthesia.

✔ Uncommon Complications: The chip can migrate a bit underneath the skin, but it will still work.

✔ Lacks Potential for an Allergic Reaction: While some pets may experience a low amount of allergic reaction, we are yet to see a case of serious allergies.

Microchips are not completely safe, but the advantages are far greater than the risk.

💲 What is the Price Tag to Microchip Your Pet?

Though this may differ by location and provider, microchipping averages a cost of$

✔ Veterinary Clinics: $25 – $75

✔ Animal Shelter & Adoption Centers — Many even do it free or at a reduced fee

✔ Chip Registration: This might be a one-time fee from some companies or, in other cases, free for the lifetime of the pet.

When you keep in mind the fact that microchipping could be what saves your pet's life, the small cost you incur now is well worth it in the long run.

📖 Final Words: One quick step to a lifetime of safety

Having your pet microchipped is one of the best ways to keep your pet safe. It serves as a permanent form of identification, improves the likelihood of successfully reconnecting a lost pet with its owner, and helps to prevent puppy theft.

✔ Key Takeaways:

✅ Microchipping is permanent, quick and virtually painless.

✅ It greatly improves your odds of locating a missing pet.

Note: Microchips do not have built in GPS but are a permanent form of ID.

✅ Very safe, inexpensive and highly recommended for all pets.

The most important point is that the microchip only works if your contact information is updated in the registry.