Microchipping your dog

Although many pet owners believe it could never happen, countless dogs escape and become lost every year. Unfortunately, the odds are heavily stacked against a reunion. One recent study found that just two percent of cats and 16 percent of dogs turned into shelters are reclaimed by their owners. The numbers would be higher if these animals had proper identification.

Chip technology helps find lost dogs

To help increase the chances that a lost dog will be recovered, a growing number of owners and shelters are turning to microchip identification. An electronic chip, about the size of a grain of rice and carrying a unique code, is implanted between a dog’s shoulder blades. Similar to a routine vaccination, the procedure is quick and relatively painless.

When a lost dog is brought to a shelter or veterinary office equipped with a scanner, the facility can check for a microchip. When the scanner (much like the hand-held scanners used in grocery stores) is held over the dog’s back, the chip's unique code will be displayed. The shelter or veterinarian then calls in the code to one of the national databases of pets with identifying microchips, and the lost dog’s owner can be contacted immediately. To help ensure a dog’s speedy return, owners must keep the registry informed of any change in address or telephone number. Thousands and thousands of dogs and cats have been reunited with their families ever since microchipping first became popular in the 1980s. There are several manufacturers producing microchips – check with your veterinarian and local animal shelter for recommendations.

Pet identification tags

In addition to a permanent form of identification such as microchipping, dogs should also wear a collar with an ID tag that has been imprinted with the owner's most current address and phone number.