Losing your pet can be a traumatic experience. Unfortunately, many pets end up in shelters every day because they have become lost and have no identification to find their family. It is important to make sure your pet has a collar and ID tag, but sometimes collars can break, or slip off of a pet's neck. One true way to keep your pet safe is to get them microchipped.
Microchips are implantable radio-frequency transponders that encode a unique identification number. These chips are no larger than a grain of rice and are placed under the skin with a needle and syringe. Microchips are not GPS tracking devices and do not work that way. Instead, they show the unique identification number when scanned. For example: When a pet enters a shelter or veterinary facility due to being lost, their microchip will be scanned and will give the unique identification number, leading the person to the family’s contact information. With a microchip, it is easy!
It is most important that once you have the microchip implanted, you register and update the microchip with the nationwide registry. Make sure to include your most up to date contact information, and if you move or change your phone number, you MUST update the microchip. If you do not keep the microchip updated with new information, it renders the microchip useless. So, if your information changes, please update your pet’s profile immediately!
If you lose the information associated with your pet’s microchip just let your vet or the microchip company know and they will help you. Do not get a second microchip implanted. This can cause the frequencies to interfere with one another and a scanner may only pick up one number or none.
American Veterinary Medical Association has a list of best questions and answers about microchips and pets. Click below to read more.
EIN: 88-3880052
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