If every dog and cat were to have a pet microchip, and the microchip were registered to the owner, there would be millions of happy endings to lost pet stories every year. A microchip is the size of a grain of rice and can be injected into any pet, any size – even a pet mouse! It’s harmless to the pet, and because it provides positive ID, it takes less than a minute for a shelter or veterinarian’s office to determine who Fluffy belongs to.
Animal shelters and humane societies are full of lost dogs and lost cats that belong to people. Beloved pets wait there as strays hoping to go back home. Unfortunately, far too many pets are never reunited with their owners simply because they had no pet ID tags and no microchip.
Groups that advocate the pet microchip, would like to see all dogs and cats microchipped as a standard procedure at veterinarian’s offices just like vaccinations and spaying or neutering. The cost is very reasonable, from $20 - $60 for the injection. HomeAgain ®, an organization that promotes pet microchipping and provides lost pet services, stresses that enrolling in a pet recovery database is essential for protecting your dog or cat because the pet owner’s contact information is stored in a database, not the microchip. HomeAgain Pet Recovery Service proactively helps you find your lost dog or cat. They also remind you to update your information on the database whenever you move or your phone number changes.
Why every dog should have a microchip
Responsible dog owners make sure their dog wears a collar and pet ID, but those can come off. Because dogs tend to be out and about a lot, pet owners are more likely to microchip their dogs. They understand their dog’s risk of becoming lost. A pure bred dog may also be at risk for being stolen, so if you notice someone in your neighborhood has a beautiful Great Dane, just like the one you lost, the microchip serves as a way to prove the dog is rightfully yours.
Why It's Even More Important for Every Cat to Have a Microchip
Many cats refuse to wear a collar, which makes wearing a pet ID tag impossible. When people see a dog wearing a collar, they know he belongs to someone. When people see a cat without a collar prowling around, they assume she's a stray. Most people won’t even try to pick up a lost cat and seek out the owner. Therefore, scores of beloved pets, who were simply outdoor kitties minding their own business, wind up in animal shelters as stray cats.
Indoor cats should also have a microchip because even though you don’t plan for your kitty to ever get out, it happens. Indoor cats get out all the time, and without any kind of ID, it’s difficult for even the most devout and caring person or rescue group to reunite lost cats with their owners.
If your pet has a microchip and it is registered at HomeAgain.com, should your pet become lost, you can go to the site and get immediate help. They will send out an alert to veterinarians, animal shelters, your local humane society and PetRescuers within 25 miles of where your pet became lost. If your pet shows up at a shelter, they will already know you are looking for him.
How you can help lost pets
You can sign up to be a PetRescuer and receive an email alert when a pet is lost in your area, so you may be able to help other pet owners. To sign-up as a PetRescuer or for more information about pet microchipping, visit HomeAgain.com.