Welcome spring, and June! Did you know June is National Microchipping Month? Chances are if you have adopted your pet from a shelter, he or she is already chipped. But if you bought from a private seller, store or breeder, it’s a great idea to get this done asap! If you’re not sure if your pet is chipped, take him/her to your vet. They can do a quick scan with a chip reader and see if there’s a chip there.
What To Know About Microchipping
According to statistics, one in three pets will go missing at some point in their lives. This is one great reason to microchip your pet.
A microchip is a radio-frequency identification transponder (RFID) that carries a unique number. It’s about the size of a grain of rice and is permanently injected under loose skin, usually between the shoulder blades. It’s about as painless as a vaccination. It can be done by your vet in their office, and sometimes other organizations offer chipping services at pet fairs, etc. There is no battery involved, no power required. It is NOT a GPS device, so it cannot track your pet. However, If your pet is lost, and found, a vet or shelter personnel can scan the pet and the scanner will find the microchip number.
BUT the key here is, you MUST register your info with the microchip company or a national pet recovery database, like AKC Reunite (akcreunite.org), so your pet can be reunited with you. This step is very important. Because a microchip without an address or phone number linked to it is useless. And make sure your registration info is up to date, especially after you move or change a phone number.
According to AKC Reunite, pets with microchips are 20 times more likely to be reunited with their owners. Isn’t it worth it, for your piece of mind? If your pet isn’t yet chipped, make it a point in this month of June to get it done.
