Why Is Microchipping Pets Important?

June is National Microchip Month - the perfect time to make sure your pets are microchipped and updated! Microchipping your pets is a fantastic tool for pet owners to make sure they’re keeping their furry friends safe. It's the best way to protect your pets and make sure the both of you never have to worry about being gone for too long!

What are Pet Microchips?

Microchips are a safe and effective way to identify your pet in case they get lost! They are a small microchip containing information about your pet - about the size of a grain of rice, they are inserted into your pet and are used as a way to identify them.

Microchipping doesn’t hurt your pet any more than the average vaccine, and can be a life saving measure! It is injected underneath the skin without anesthesia and is done at a veterinarian office. 

If you’re worried about your pet receiving the procedure without anesthesia, inquire with your veterinarian about scheduling the implant when your buddy would otherwise be anesthetized - like during a spay and neuter, or a dental procedure.  

How Do Pet Microchips Help?

Microchipping is one of the easiest things you can do to help yourself (and any shelters that end up with your pet) with relocating and reconnecting lost pets and their owners! 

Microchipping helps owners reunite with their pets at a much higher rate than those without microchips. They can be the difference between your pup being sent to a shelter without you, or reuniting without much trouble! 

How Do I Get A Microchip For My Pet?

When you adopt a pet for the first time, it’s always useful to take them to the vet as soon as you can. While there, this is a great time to ask about getting your pet microchipped. Usually it will cost a little bit less if you group the microchip session in with a regular vaccination or checkup appointment. 

You can also take a look at volunteer groups and charities in your area, or look into microchipping through Petco.

Make sure that if you move, or adopt a furry friend with an existing microchip, that you take the necessary steps to update the information! A microchip with an old phone number or address is worse than useless- it can complicate the process immensely if a chip is outdated. 

What Else Can I Do Besides Microchipping My Pet? 

There are a lot of preventative measures you can take to prevent your pet from getting lost. Besides ensuring that they’ve been microchipped and the information is up to date, it’s also worth investing in other gear!

One of the best and simplest things you can do is to make sure they have an up to date dog tag with a good collar. The last thing you want to do is have a collar break or snap, or even just fall off! Collars with dog tags are very important and can be a simple fix to a potentially stressful situation. Not to mention, if your fur baby gets loose in your neighborhood, your neighbors will be able to locate them much easier, without the need of a vet or shelter. 

Our furiends at Pawscout provide a great preventative option for you and your pets. Their Smarter Pet Tag works as a GPS device that is activated with an app! It’s a pawsome option to help find your furry friends before they end up with someone else!