Having your pet micro-chipped (“chipped”) is becoming more and more recognized for its importance as pets are becoming a more integral part of our families. Thanks to the multitude of animal welfare and rescue organizations promoting this issue nationwide, people are paying more attention and recognizing just how critical chipping is to their pets’ wellbeing and to keeping their families whole.

Why Is Chipping So Important?

Pets become lost for many reasons, some of them preventable, others unavoidable mishaps. Compare losing a pet to losing a child–you need turn your eyes away for only seconds and they can be gone. You can be the world’s best pet parent, and it can still happen. We’re all human. The lawn care guy leaves your gate open, the cat darts out the door when you answer to sign for a Fedex, the dog jumps out the window of your car when he sees a cat on the sidewalk, etc.

And, of course, there’s always the unfortunate possibility of your pet being stolen. Thieves can easily figure out your routine, when you’re not home, and they can climb your fence, grab little Fluffy and be gone in a New York minute. Without Fluffy having a chip, most likely you’ll never get her back. Chipping tells the finders you are the rightful owner and eliminates any claims someone else may be trying to make for your pet.

Posting on social media is a huge help, for sure, but that depends on people actually reading the posts, and then those specific people being in the right place at the right time to find the lost pet. With chipping, the owner’s contact information is secured right on the pet at all times. Chipping is hands-down the best way to recover a lost or stolen pet.

What Does A Chip Do And How Do I Get My Pet Chipped?

A chip is a nearly microscopic little disk, if you will, that is inserted with a needle, as if giving the pet a shot. Typically, chips are implanted between the shoulder blades, where it will remain permanently. The injection is nearly painless for most pets. The chip is programmed with a serial number that is registered to you and contains your name, address, and phone. Some chip manufacturers also provide a website where you can opt to set up a profile for your pet with photos and certain identifying information to make identification even more exact. You can get your pet chipped at your vet or most pet stores. The cost is generally $35 to $45. Most rescue organizations include micro-chipping in the adoption process if you adopt the pet from them.

If your pet shows up at a shelter, the folks there have a scanner gun that they will scan over your pet. If the pet is chipped, the scanner gun will capture the information, and they can call you immediately. If someone finds your pet and wants to help get her back home safely rather than drop her off at a shelter, the finder can go to any PetSmart, Petco, veterinarian, etc., and ask them to scan the pet for a chip. There is no charge for simply scanning. Once the rescuer has your contact information, they can let you know that Fluffy is safe and sound and can get her back home to you. Chipping is critical to your pet’s wellbeing and keeping your family whole. There is no better substitute.

Being Chipped Can Mean Life Or Death To Your Pet.

Chipping also protects your pet from being killed should she end up in a shelter. Shelters screen incoming strays for chips. If your pet is chipped, then all is well, because first thing they will do is call you and you can go get her safely back home. But be aware–shelters typically deal with overcrowding, so they don’t invest lots of time trying to identify lost or stray pets. Sadly, kill rates for shelters across the nation are still very very high. If your pet is not chipped and ends up in a shelter, she is in extreme danger. They may put her to death in a matter of hours and you’ll never even know. You may still be driving your neighborhood, posting flyers, searching hopefully and calling for her, not knowing she’s no longer alive. Avoid such a terrible heartbreak–chip your beloved pet. Cats and dogs both. If you love her, chip her.

While We’re On The Subject Of Shelter Kill Rates …

Awareness is growing nationwide about the epidemic of high shelter kill rates, especially for cats. Barely 1 in every 10 cats gets out of a shelter alive–there is no excuse for this. While many shelters are finally abandoning old set ways of using euthanasia to “control” what they identify as “pet over-population,” we still have a very long way to go to stop the terrible killings. If you have an interest in learning more or volunteering to help in this overdue animal welfare revolution, get this book–Redemption by Nathan Winograd. It’s truly eye-opening. When you finish the book, pass it on, keep it going. It’s on our generation to get the word out and get the wheels in motion.

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God Bless and Happy Pet Parenting!

With love and good wishes,
jeannie.   ?

About jeannie:  I’ve been pro-actively involved in pet rescue all of my life. I founded Milagro Senior Pet Refuge© (Phoenix) in 1998, and BareFootPets (TM) in 2008.  Animal welfare has always been and will always be my heart’s work. If my only legacy is that I save a handful of precious souls that would not survive otherwise, I’m good with that.