Find Your Lost Pets- Have Them Microchipped
Animals die needlessly when humans don't take the necessary action to protect them. A bold statement but a true one, and a problem that has been solved through the introduction of Microchip RFID technology.
Through the use of microchip technology today companion animals can be chipped and owners can make sure the registrations are submitted to one of the major recovery services in their country. The microchip is a small transponder that is activated by a scanner and reads the number of the chip that has been implanted in the animal. The procedure to do this involves a small needle being introduced under the loose skin between the shoulder blades of the animal and a microchip the size of a grain of rice being implanted through the sterile needle. It takes about the same time as it takes for giving the pet their shots or vaccinations. It has been used around the world and extensive testing has shown it to be safe for pets
Over 840,000 dogs and 572,320 cats suffered a needless death due to the lack of identification when they were discovered as strays. These figures come from the 1997 survey of 1000 animal shelters across the US conducted by the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy. These are alarming statistics which highlight the importance of microchipping and registering your contact information for your pet which wold dramatically lower these numbers.
One minute the pet is there, the next they have bolted or silently slunk away. One is reminded of the panic of a mother when their child wanders way in the supermarket, only to be found moments later. The pet may not be noticed as missing as quickly as the child. The microcchip is the silent protector of the animal when they are found when lost or missing by their owners.
Microchipping is often done by animal welfare and control authorities before the animal is adopted and can readily be done in the veterinarian's office inexpensively at the same time vaccinations and or checkups are completed. Owners should ensure that the documentation linking the chip to the owner is sent and registered with a pet recovery database. It is also important to keep the database current by advising of moves and contact changes.
The odds of recovery of a lost pet is enhanced by the microchip compared to other methods. We will still see posters on telephone poles ad bulletin boards when a pet is lost. The owner can avoid further anguish by ensuring the pet has been chipped and registered. The sight of a crying child whose favorite dog or cat has gone missing should remind us as adults of our responsibility as a pet parent
The information contained in the registration allows the rapid contact and return of the animal upon arriving at animal welfare organization. Shelters across North America have scanners that can read and identify a wide variety of chips being used. In the United States there is a movement to international microchip standards (ISO) which are used in most developed countries including Canada. The current non-ISO chips in the US can be read today and in Canada the scanners read both ISO and non-ISO chips in scanners provided specifically for that market.
When an animal arrives at a shelter or is taken to a veterinarian it can be readily scanned and its microchip naumber read. Each brand of microchip, such as 24Petwatch,Avid or Home Again, has specific identifiers that indicate the manufacturer. All have call-centers which have toll-free numbers. The 24Petwatch registry allows for the regisrtation of all microchips regardless of maker. Their database is also integrated with the largest online realtime shelter management software in North America, which allows the shelter to search their database as well as those of some 850 other agencies. This combined with accurate updating by owners of address changes allows you to find your lost pet quickly.
Article Source: http://www.search-raven.com
About the Author
For more tips and tricks visit Rob Metras's blog Your New Pets and also get a free ebook on veterinary healthcare.
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by: RobMetras
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