Pet Microchipping
A microchipped pet is a safe pet.
It’s a heartbreaking fact, but thousands of beloved pets like yours go missing every year. Even more disheartening is the fact that many of them don’t make it home again. The American Humane Association reports that only 2% of lost cats and 15% of lost dogs make it back to their owners. At El Cid Animal Clinic, we highly recommend your pet be microchipped as it may greatly increase your chances of being reunited with your pet if it were to stray from home.
Your pet needs a reliable form of identification. Many pets don’t wear tags or even collars. There are several reasons as to why this happens; such as a pet being kept exclusively indoor, not being able to keep their collar on or being allergic to the collar. Even a pet that tolerates wearing a collar can have it break or fall off unexpectedly while they’re out. Another common scenario occurs when their tags become loose, damaged or unreadable. This means your pet might not be able to be identified which could delay his or her return to you or prevent it from happening at all.
Alternatively, a microchip is about the size and shape of a grain of rice and is placed underneath your pet’s skin between the shoulder blades. Microchip implantation is a quick and harmless procedure. Unlike other forms of identification, a microchip can’t get stolen, lost or damaged. Each microchip is unique and carries vital information about your pet, including your name, address and contact information. When a microchip is implanted, the pet owner must register the microchip. Microchipping is a reliable, permanent, one-time service that helps give you peace of mind for your pet’s lifetime, but it is nearly useless if the microchipped pet is not registered.
Microchipping your pet: Understanding the process
Having the microchip placed in your pet is only the first step when it comes to protecting him or her. Once the microchip is in your pet, you need to fill out the registration form that we here at El Cid Animal Clinic give to you. There is no registration fee. Once that registration process is completed, your pet’s information is entered into a national database devoted solely to reuniting pets with their corresponding pet parents.
All the microchips offered at El Cid Animal Clinic come with a lifetime registration subscription!
Other clinics and shelters might offer microchipping services but we like to go the extra step for our clients. Most microchip companies will make you pay a monthly or annual fee for simply keeping your information tied to your pet’s microchip number. That is unfair and abusive. All microchips implanted at El Cid Animal Clinic come with a lifetime registration subscription. That means no additional cost for you and a lifetime of protection for your pet.
What happens when a microchipped pet is found?
Veterinary hospitals, animal control offices and animal shelters throughout the country are equipped with electronic scanners that are specially designed. These scanners can detect the microchip in your pet and read the identification number associated with him or her.
A found microchipped pets means that the toll-free number to the national pet recovery database has been notified when the pet is found. They will then contact you so that you can be reunited with your beloved pet. Pets of all ages can be microchipped, including adult dogs and cats. Doing so provides a layer of safety and protection that you just can’t get from a traditional tag or collar. Contact us and learn how microchipping your pet is the best choice for both of you.
Need a better understanding of the reuniting process? Take a look for yourself at these heart-warming pet reunification stories! View Stories >
For more information about the microchipping, call us at (561) 832-7922.