Did you know that over 10 million dogs and cats are separated from their owners each year? In fact, according to the American Humane Society, one out of every three pets will be lost at some point in their lifetime.
MICROCHIPPING HELPS BRING LOST PETS HOME
As pet owners, it can be difficult to imagine life without our favorite companion. We’ve all experienced close calls when a cat darts out the front door or a dog does not immediately come back when called. Sadly, of the lost pets that are turned into shelters each year, only 22 percent of dogs and less than 2 percent of cats are ever reunited with their owners. Thankfully, with microchips, the chances of being reunited with a missing pet are dramatically increased.
Here are three reasons why Anderson Veterinary Clinic recommends microchipping your pet:
Microchips are safe.
A microchip is a tiny chip, approximately the size of a rice grain, which is implanted between a pet’s shoulders. Each chip is coded with a unique serial number. If a pet is lost, an animal shelter or veterinarian can read the chip’s serial number. This code is then matched to your contact information using a secure database. Only a vet or animal shelter can access this database, so your personal information remains safe.
Microchips are effective.
Without a microchip, the chance of being reunited with a lost pet is extremely low. Thanks to a microchip, however, owners can proactively work to bring their lost pet home. With a microchip, pet owners can issue a “lost pet alert” using their online account; in just minutes, this alert will notify all pet owners within a 25-mile radius of where the pet was last seen. That’s a lot more effective than posting ‘lost pet’ flyers!
Microchip information can be instantly updated.
With microchips, pet owners do not need to make new identification tags every time they move or change phone numbers. It takes just minutes to update contact information online.
If your pet went missing, what would you do?