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microchipping 

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Positive identification is the only way to ensure that you are reunited with your pet if it becomes lost or stolen. A secure collar with tags indicating the home address and phone numbers is a good start, however collars often fall off.  A thief would simply remove one, and cat collars are designed to "break-away" in case the collar gets hung on a fence or tree limb. Fortunately, technology has been developed that addresses this concern. A tiny chip contained in surgical grade glass can be implanted beneath the skin and scanned at any time to provide a unique identification number. Veterinarians, shelters, and animal control organizations have hand held scanners to check lost pets for a chip.

The microchip is not powered and and never wears out. It is about the size of a large grain of rice and contains electronics that contain a unique identification code. No personal information is held on the chip, and they cannot be reprogrammed. The code on the chip is registered with the manufacturer's recovery database along with the pet owner's emergency contact information. The handheld scanner activates the chip only when it is held in close proximity to the pet.  Pets with these microchips cannot be located on a GPS or other tracking device. There is no problem with taking a microchipped pet on an airplane, and some countries even require a pet to be microchipped prior to entering the country.

Microchipping is a relatively painless procedure and implanting the chip can be performed without anesthesia. A modified syringe and large bore needle are used to place the glass tube beneath the skin, usually between the shoulder blades, and scar tissue forms around small barbs on the microchip to keep it from migrating out of place. Some pet owners will opt to have this procedure done at the time of spaying and neutering.

​Microchipping is the most effective method of positively identifying your pet. Please make sure to keep in touch with the microchip company you use, to ensure your phone number and address are kept up to date in case you move or change your phone number. We want to ensure pets return safely to their homes.