Microchipping your pet is one of the best things you can do for their health!
Despite being as careful as possible, it’s likely that given the chance your pets will bolt out when doors are open. They hop out of car windows, hollow out under fences and sometimes decide to go an a walkabout, without you of course! The fact is one in three pets goes missing and it becomes strenuous for people to find lost pets. But the good thing is that most vets have a protocol in place for you to get your pet microchipped and registered fairly easily.
How do microchips work?
The microchip is inserted beneath the shoulder blade of your pets with a simple injection. The implantation procedure is not stressful and usually doesn’t hurt the pet. Afterwards, you need to to enroll your pet’s ID code along with your contact information and then a scanner is used to ensure that microchip is functioning well.
Your contact information will be matched with the microchip’s number and sent to a registry. Each microchip has a unique number. The scanner emits a low radio frequency that turns on the located chip to pass on the microchip’s unique code that helps to identify the pet.
Usually, vets will ensure you that a microchip will not move around under your pet’s skin, but stays in place to be easily detected if your pet decides to run away from home.
Types of microchips
A microchip is much more reliable than a collar because there is no chance that it will fall off. There are two different types of microchips:
- HomeAgain Microchip
A HomeAgain microchip is a permanent pet ID. The microchip will stay intact so it can be easily scanned. If your pet is lost and taken to an animal shelter or a veterinarian center, they will scan the microchip to read its ID code. This is the number used by HomeAgain to identify the pet and to recover your contact information and then it is used to reunite you with your pet.
- Avid Microchip
The AVID Microchip is also an implantable that has a size of a grain. It is also activated by a microchip scanner. It has a unique ID code of your pet. When enrolled in a pet recovery service, this number links the pet to the owner’s contact information.