Microchipping is a very simple, painless procedure in which your pet is injected with a chip that is approximately the size of a grain of rice.
Yavapai Humane Society’s Lost & Found Department can be a very busy place. Depending on the season, especially if there is a holiday or bad weather, they can take in anywhere from five to 10 lost animals per day. In May alone, we were able to reunite 57 animals with their families!
The National Humane Society states that a family pet is lost every two seconds in North America. With statistics like that, it is incredibly important to take steps to make sure our pets stay safe. The first step is to make sure your pet is microchipped and, most importantly, all the information is current!
Microchipping is a very simple, painless procedure in which your pet is injected with a chip that is approximately the size of a grain of rice. If your pet gets lost and then found, they can easily be scanned and the information contained in the microchip will allow you and your pet to be reunited. But, the information on that microchip must be up to date with your current data. An interesting bit of information is that the microchip is actually proof of ownership for that animal. When you acquire a new animal, it is imperative that you contact the microchip company and give them your information.
We had an interesting case where a dog came in as a stray and we scanned it for a microchip, which it had. Upon calling the owner listed through the microchip, we learned he had not owned that dog in more than 10 years, and he didn’t even live in the state anymore. However, because the microchip was registered to him, he was still considered the legal owner of the dog. The chip is unique to your animal and contains information about the animal and you. There ended up being a happy ending to the story, as the dog was reunited with the person who had him for the last decade.
We immediately assisted that individual in updating the information with the microchip company and he can now feel confident knowing that should his dog get out again, he can be contacted and reunited. Again, I can’t stress this enough: the chip is only as good as the registration. If your registration isn’t submitted and kept current, it’s useless. Many more pets are microchipped than are properly registered. You have to get the paperwork and make sure that chip is registered with your info, and if you move or change your phone numbers, you must update that information.
It’s also a good idea to make sure pets always have a collar on with an identification tag with your current information. Tags should include the pet’s name, your name and phone number, and if there is room, you can even have “I am microchipped” on it. We have ID tags available here in our adoption lobby that can be made while you wait for $5.
Last, but not least, we also recommend signing up for Finding Rover. It’s a free service that uses facial recognition technology to help reunite dogs and cats with their families. All you need to do is visit findingrover.com and upload a picture of your pet, your pet’s name, age and breed along with your name, email, phone number and zip code. If your pet should happen to get lost, all you have to do is go to the website, click “I lost a pet,” upload your pet’s picture, and Finding Rover will search found reports, which will include animals in our care. We have partnered with Finding Rover, and it has access to our database, so if your pet happens to be here, it will alert you. It also searches the databases of other shelters and rescues, so it greatly increases your chances of reuniting with your pet. For further information, visit findingrover.com or give us a call at 928-445-2666.
One of the best ways to ensure your pets don’t get lost is to make sure their play area or yard is secured. Check to make sure fencing is strong enough to endure our strong winds and monsoon rains, and that it is high enough to keep a pet from jumping over. Keeping backyard gates secured with a lock or carabiner to help prevent your dog from escaping is another safety measure that can be taken.
Our pets are part of our family, and with a few extra precautions, we can keep our family home, happy and safe! QCBN
By Loree Walden
Loree Walden is the marketing manager at Yavapai Humane Society.
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