If you are a pet owner, then you may have heard of a service called pet microchipping. While we do our very best to protect our pets and keep them safe, the fact is that a large number of animals are lost or stolen every year. In fact, studies estimate that 1 in 3 pets will become separated from their owner at least once during their lifetime.
Losing a pet is traumatic for any responsible owner and their family. In the past, we have always relied on collars and tags to attach our personal information to our pets so that we can be contacted if they are found. While this method is still useful, especially if your pet is recovered locally, there is another option – pet microchipping.
What is Pet Microchipping?
Pet microchipping is a simple process that involves the owner’s personal information being placed onto a secure database managed by a microchipping provider and given a unique reference number. This reference number is then placed onto a tiny microchip – about the size of a grain of rice – which is inserted into your pet’s body. It lies dormant until it comes into contact with an RFID scanner, which detects the unique reference number and gives the person scanning your pet information on who to call should your pet be recovered.
There are many different benefits associated with pet microchipping. Here is what you need to know about the process and why you should make getting your pet microchipped a priority.
You Are More Likely to be Reunited With Your Pet
The most important thing to any owner that has had a pet lost or stolen is being reunited with them. By far the biggest benefit of microchipping is that it massively increases the chances of this happening. Studies have shown that dogs that are microchipped are returned to their owners around 52% of the time, compared to just 15% of those wearing just a collar and tag.
Microchipping is tamper-proof
One of the main reasons that microchipping is so successful is because it is entirely tamper-proof. The microchip is tiny and virtually impossible to locate once it has been placed into your pet’s body. It doesn’t have any moving parts so never required replacement, and it cannot fall off or be removed as a tag and collar can. Your details can’t be changed easily either. In order to change the personal information on the database that is linked to the microchip, you have to go through stringent security checks.
Your personal information is safe
Identity theft and the misuse of personal information is a serious concern for many people. Unfortunately, when you place your contact details onto a visible tag, anyone can see them. When you choose to microchip your pet, the only information that is on the microchip is the unique reference number that refers to a database entry containing your contact details. Microchip provider invests heavily in cyber-security to ensure that your information remains properly protected at all times.
Microchipping is affordable
Microchipping is a very affordable procedure and most owners can get their pet’s microchip registered and implanted for less than $50 – a small price to pay for the reassurance of being reunited with your pet. It is important to note that you need to keep your personal information up to date for the microchip to be effective, and, depending on your provider, there may be a small administrative charge for updating your details.
If you would like more information about the essential benefits associated with pet microchipping, get in touch with Mokena Animal Clinic in Mokena, IL where our team will be delighted to help you in any way they can or schedule an appointment for your pet 708-479-2811.
