Microchips and ID tags can prevent seperation heartbreak

If you’ve followed my column for any length of time you’ve heard me plead to have your pet microchipped. I help many people look for lost pets and look for lost parents. It’s a very emotional process whether you’ve lost a pet or found a pet. So I campaign to prevent pets from ever being lost in the first place.

But to ensure your pet is returned when he’s lost make sure he’s wearing a collar with a legible identification tag. As another easy safety measure use a waterproof Sharpie to write your telephone number on the collar.

But having the collar and ID tag are not enough. I’ve lost count of the number of times I’ve searched for a beloved family pet who didn’t have his collar on because he’d just been bathed and the collar was never replaced.

Or the zillion times someone has found a pet with a collar but no tags. ID tags fall off, break or can be removed. Every city pound in the country is filled with pets wearing collars with no tags and there’s no way to connect the pet with his family.

That’s why I preach to have both dogs and cats microchipped. It’s a permanent way to identify your pet and, in the event he becomes lost, a vet or animal control department may scan him to reveal his unique ID number.

So what exactly is a microchip and how does it work? The best way to explain it is to tell you what a microchip is not. It’s not a tracking device like a GPS. You cannot follow your pet’s steps or identify his location through a microchip. Hopefully that’ll be the next generation of technology.

A microchip is a radio frequency identification about the size of a grain of rice that’s implanted in your pet’s back near his shoulder blades that will last for the life of your pet. It’s injected just like a vaccination and doesn’t typically cause any more discomfort than a regular shot. No anesthesia is required.

The microchip has no moving parts, no battery so there’s nothing to wear out or replace. It doesn’t need a power source and responds to a scanner to reveal the identification number.

What’s vitally important is to complete the paperwork associated with your microchip and send to the microchip company. Update your records with the microchip company if you move or change phone numbers.

If another organization, such as veterinarian’s office or an animal group where the pet was adopted or spay or neutered offered to send the paperwork in for you, it’s imperative you verify with the microchip company, not the organization that offered to send the paperwork in, that they have your records.

There have been reports of miscommunication with some groups about who was supposed to send paperwork to the microchip company and tragically when a pet was lost the company had no record of the chip registration. So if someone else sent paperwork in on your behalf, contact the microchip company today to confirm the company actually has your pet registered.

There is an annual registration renewal fee required. However, it’s usually a nominal fee and well worth the cost.

If your pet isn’t chipped, please consider having it done this week and verify paperwork is sent to the company. And while you’re at it, put new ID tags on your pet’s collar. You’ll be glad you did.

This story was originally published August 17, 2017 at 5:03 PM with the headline "Microchips and ID tags can prevent seperation heartbreak."