Microchipping Your Pet
Homemade Puppies, LLC strives to be your trusted source for not only connecting with your new fur-baby, but also answering the dog related questions you may have to enhance your experience with your dog/puppy. Each week our in house dog expert, Katie, answers your puppy and dog questions. Submit your canine questions to info@homemadepuppies.com.
As always puppies advertised with Homemade Puppies, LLC are always 100% raised in-home by responsible family breeders...never raised outside or in a barn, etc. No Puppy Mills, ever. We promise. www.homemadepuppies.com
Here is this week's blog from Katie!
What is a microchip? And does my pet need one?
A microchip is a radio-frequency identification transponder that carries a unique identification number, and is about the size of a grain of rice. There's no battery, no power/battery required, no moving parts. The microchip is injected under the loose skin between the dog's shoulder blades. It's inserted like a shot, and is no more painful than your pet receiving a vaccination.
Each microchip has to be registered in order to perform the function it's intended for, which is reuniting you with your pet if your pet becomes lost or is stolen. When your pet's microchip is registered it is entered into a nationwide data bank with all your relevant contact information. All vet hospitals, shelters, most rescues, and most police stations have a universal microchip scanner. If your pet becomes lost, and someone finds him and takes him to any of these places, he will be scanned for a microchip and ta-da, your contact information can be accessed and your pet and you can be reunited. It is very important to register your pet's microchip (some places when doing the implanting of the chip will register the chip for you) and to keep your contact information up to date.
Microchips are better than ID tags on a collar because they are permanent. An ID tag can fall off, become hard to read, or a collar can be removed. It then becomes very difficult to find out who a lost pet belongs to. That being said, it is a good idea to keep a collar with an ID tag on your dog also. It is possible for any pet to become lost. Gates or doors can be left open, leashes can be dropped and it only takes a second for a pet to run off. Even a well trained pet can become loose and wander away from home, or be involved in a car accident and become separated from you.
Your pet being microchipped allows you to apply for a lifetime license. In the state of PA and most other states, dogs are required to have a dog license. This is a way for the state to keep census of the number and breed of dogs owned in the state. A license also can help reunite you and your dog if they become lost. By registering your dog for a lifetime license it eliminates the need to remember to register every year. Buying a lifetime license can be a bit of a cost savings over the average lifetime of your pet.
Microchips are not equipped with GPS. You cannot track where your dog is with a microchip. GPS tags are a nice compliment to microchips. With a GPS tag you can track where your dog is, but a GPS tag cannot give your contact info to anyone who might find your dog. GPS tags can also fall off and become lost and most require batteries that can die. Since microchips are permanent, they are the best course of action to ensure your pet gets reunited with you.
Veterinary clinics can implant your pet with a microchip. They can be implanted at any age. There are also microchipping clinics offered by pet rescues, pet stores, or at some community dog events. Some breeders implant microchips in all their puppies before they go home with their new families. The cost of a microchip is relatively low and generally falls in the range of $20-$50. If your pet comes to you microchipped, make sure that you log into the registry and put in your contact information. There are various companies that manufacture microchips. For the most part, microchip readers are universal and will read most brands of microchips. The microchip number can then be searched on a national data base and your pet can be reunited with you!
ALL pets can benefit from a microchip. Microchipping your pet is an easy, inexpensive way to ensure that you and your pet will be reunited if they ever become lost. Please talk to your veterinarian today about getting your pet microchipped.
Do you have a question for Katie? Submit your question(s) to info@homemadepuppies.com.
Don't forget to catch Katie's blog from last week: https://www.homemadepuppies.com/what-is-puppy-culture
