Microchipping

Every year, between eight and ten million pets go missing in the United States. Most of these beloved companions are never reunited with their owners.

Only one out of every five lost dogs without a microchip identification will find his way home. Cats without a microchip who go missing have just a 1.8% chance of being reunited with their owners – that’s fewer than two cats out of every 100!

The main reason for these terrible odds? The animals weren’t carrying ID.

What kind of identification does my pet need?

Collar ID tags are your pet’s first and fastest ticket home if he becomes lost, and we recommend that all companion animals wear tags that include a local contact number and the number for a friend or relative. However, collars are easily slipped off and tags can break, rust or become illegible due to scratches, leaving your pet without any identifying information.

Microchipping, however, is a permanent, always-legible form of ID that is ideal for animals (like rabbits and some cats) who seldom wear collars.

A dog with a microchip has more than twice the chance of finding her way home. A cat with a microchip is more than 20 times more likely to be reunited with his owner. Microchipping is really the best precaution you can take to avoid losing your pets.

What’s a microchip?

A microchip is a tiny, rice-sized device containing a unique identifying code that is read using a special electronic scanner. The animal feels nothing as the scanner is passed over it.

Veterinarians inject microchips as they would a vaccination, placing the device under the skin between an animal’s shoulder blades. The process is quick and virtually painless for your pet. Chips can be safely implanted in pets of all ages, and one microchip will remain active for the life of the pet – with no need for replacement.

What information is in a microchip?

Only the chip manufacturer’s name and the chip’s unique identifying code. The owner’s contact information, pet name, age, gender, etc. are stored in the manufacturer’s database under their pet’s unique chip code.

When a veterinarian implants a microchip, his or her office will register the owner info and chip code with the database operators. If any of the owner’s registered contact information changes, the owner can update it by contacting the database operators directly.

All animal shelters now scan animals for microchips on arrival. If an animal is microchipped, the shelter will phone in the chip’s code to the database operators, who will provide the owner’s name and the owner’s most current contact information.

Don’t take the risk of losing your pet

One out of every three pets will be lost at some point in his or her lifetime.

No matter how careful people are, accidents happen – doors and gates get left open, window screens fail, and natural disasters send pets running for the hills. A microchip is the best way to protect your furry loved ones and maximize their chances of finding you again.

Increase your pet’s chances for finding his way home – microchip! Visit Napa Humane’s vaccination/microchip clinic any Friday from 9:30 a.m. until 1:00 p.m. to have your pet microchipped for just $12.

Have your pet’s chip number and want to ensure your contact information is up to date? Click here for a directory of chip numbers and manufacturer information.