Weighing the Benefits of Pet Microchip Identification
Is Pet Microchip Identification Worth the Price?
For those of you who keep beloved pets, you know how important a part of the family an animal can be. And of course, those of us who have pets should do everything we can to keep them safe. Lately, it seems there have been more and more advertisements for pet microchip identification services. So is pet microchip identification the wave of the future or is it just another way to throw away our money?
First Things First
Before you decide whether pet microchip identification is a good idea or a waste of money, you first need to understand how the product works. To start, you take your pet to the vet and have them inject a microchip into your pet, usually under the skin between the shoulder blades.
The pet identification microchip has a number embedded into it that can be read by a scanner. That number is entered into a database that contains your personal contact information. Should your pet go missing and wind up at the local animal shelter or animal control, they would only need to scan for the microchip to see that the pet is not a stray and would be able to reunite your pet with you. The majority of animal shelters, veterinarians, and animal control facilities have and use the scanners that check for microchips when stray animals are brought in.
It Makes Sense
When you stop and think about it, pet microchip identification does make sense. No matter how responsible you are or how well-behaved your pet is, it is very possible that one day they may become lost or, worse yet, stolen. While collars can fall off and tattoos can be removed, pet microchip identification is a permanent way to ensure that if your pet goes missing, the authorities can trace the ownership of the animal back to you.
The Cost
The cost of pet microchip identification isn’t as steep as one may think. We recently had our cat chipped. The vet charged $40 for injecting the pet microchip identification and the registration fee to register with the national database was less than $18. Considering our cat is notorious for getting out of the house, it was a small price to pay for peace of mind.
If you think that pet microchip identification may be great for your pets, contact your local vet and see if they offer microchip services. With the increasing popularity of the service, chances are they do.
Comments
An important issue was left out of this article, and that is the lack of standards in the scanners that are in use in the US. Searching the web reveals that, while most of the world is using one standard for identification, the US has not settled on a single standard for pet chip scanners. It may be important to determine what is being used in your home area, in order to get a compatible chip. I am returning to the US after a few years working overseas, and I had my cat chipped recently. It was only after the implant that I learned that the chip implanted in the country I am in will probably not be readable in the US. This is a problem for people who travel with their pet far from home.
Posted by: T. Thompson | May 19, 2006 8:50 AM