Dramatic Reunions Possible Because of Microchipping

I was sitting at my desk this morning in front of a blank screen, trying to decide what I should write about for this week’s installment of Pet Parenting Tails. Then I got a knock on my door from one of our adoptions counselors, and she told me a great story that inspired today’s topic: the importance of microchipping your pet.

Angie had lost her dog three years ago, and by now she had given up any hope of ever being reunited with him. But yesterday she got a phone call that her dog had been found in Oceanside, and a quick scan of his microchip brought up Angie’s contact information. Last night, after three long years, her dog was back home and sleeping safe and sound by her side.

It’s an amazing testament to the value of microchipping your pet, and it’s just one of many that we see here at the Escondido Humane Society. Just a few months ago, we picked up a little poodle mix who had been tied to some shopping carts overnight at a local pet store.  We called the phone number registered on the microchip, and the woman on the other end couldn’t believe that we had found her dog. She told us the dog had been stolen from her yard three years ago and she, like Angie, had given up any hope of finding him. Needless to say, it was an emotional reunion that never would have happened without that microchip.

So what exactly is a microchip, and how does it work?

Microchips are tiny transponders that use radio frequency waves to transmit information about your pet. They are about the size of a grain of rice and are implanted just under the skin, usually between the shoulder blades. Each microchip contains a registration number and the phone number of the registry for the brand of chip. We use a handheld scanner to read the radio frequency and display the information. We can then contact the registry to get your name and phone number.

 In addition to registering your contact information on your pet’s microchip, we suggest you include an out-of-area contact on your chip.

Even if you think your pet is secure and won’t get out, accidents do happen and pets do get lost. Using a collar and proper identification will help, but collars can come off and tags get lost. Microchipping provides an extra level of protection and peace of mind.

All of our adoptable animals are microchipped and registered before they go home with new families, and we also offer microchipping to the public for $35 (no appointment necessary). The San Diego Humane Society and County of San Diego Department of Animal Services also offer microchipping for the public. Their websites are below:

http://www.sdhumane.org/site/PageServer?pagename=res_microchip_nc

http://www.sddac.com/microchip.asp