A Note on Micro Chipping
Did you know that you can have your pet micro-chipped, but if you do not register the chip, it does no good? I witnessed this today as our Humane Society Director was called to pick up a dog wandering on a parking lot. He had been in the store and the employees chased him outside. This was a pretty, healthy animal with collar and rabies tags who was micro-chipped. The shelter employee could see the serial number by scanning the micro-chip, but the serial number was not in the database! Fortunately this story ended well, as some calls were made and the parents and the pet were reunited. However, it could have just as easily not worked out! So in conclusion…if you choose to micro-chip your animal, please follow through and register him also.
The vet should be checking the micro-chip at annual checkups. She will check that it still works and that it hasn't migrated away from the nape of neck. If the parent hasn't registered the micro-chip it will read back to whoever originally purchased it, such as a shelter or vet clinic. If the original purchaser kept very good records, the micro-chip might be able to be traced to the current pet parent, but we wouldn't rely on that. If pet parents are unsure if a pet is properly registered, they should have the micro-chip read (at a shelter or clinic) for the serial number and brand name. Next, contact the manufacturer to register the most current contact information.
Register at either of the below websites