Microchipping
According to PetFinder, over 10 million pets go missing every year, and one in three pets will go missing at some point in their life. An estimated 9 million pets without permanent pet identification are turned into animal shelters each year in the United States. Tragically, only 15% of lost dogs and 2% of lost cats are ever returned to their owners. The remainder of these pets are either adopted out to new owners or are euthanized.
The team at Lake Forest Animal Clinic recommends pet microchipping as a permanent means of pet identification. The microchip, the size of a grain of rice, is injected between the shoulder blades of your dog or cat using a needle with minimal pain or discomfort. This can be done during the time of spaying or neutering your puppy or kitten, or it can be done at the time of a wellness exam. The microchip lasts your pet’s lifetime but must be updated with your contact information as it changes to ensure your pet can be returned to you in the case of emergency.
How Does Pet Microchipping Work?
How does a pet microchip work? Each microchip has a unique code which is associated with the pet owner’s contact information as well as the pet’s profile. This chip can be scanned by veterinary offices, animal shelters, and other animal services in your city. So it is imperative that you not only microchip your pet but also follow through with the registration of that microchip and remember to update the microchip company if you move or change phone numbers.
Why is this important? Pet collars and stamped ID tags can fall off, but microchipping your pet is an efficient means of permanent pet identification that cannot fall off, be removed, or become impossible to read. Microchips have allowed thousands of lost pets to find their way back home each year.
At Lake Forest Animal Clinic, we use the 911PetChip microchip. 911PetChip offers a universal pet chip lookup via AAHA, free registration for life, and the microchip itself is smaller than a grain of rice!
Pet Microchipping Services Near You
To get your pet “chipped”, request an appointment online or call us at 949-837-7660.
