Microchips and Tattoos
Microchips and Tattoos
Microchips
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Microchips are encased in biocompatible material and are placed just under the skin. The size of a grain of rice, microchips are injected between the shoulder blades and have an antimigration cap to help prevent it from moving around in your pet's body. It contains an unalterable ID code and will last for the life of your pet. The chip is passive - it is only activated when read by a compatible scanner.
When a loose animal is picked up it can be taken to the animal shelter or a local veterinarian to be scanned for a microchip. Before long the pet is returned home. Microchipping ensures your pet is not adopted out or euthanized. It is also a deterrent against theives. Microchipping is completely safe for dogs and cats. Animals that are picked up and taken to Fort Wayne Animal Care and Control are microchipped. |
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Tattoos
Tattoos take just a few minutes to place an ID number on a dog's inner flank. The number is registered with the companies, which maintain 24-hour hotlines for reporting lost or found pets and reuniting them with the owners. The dog also wears a tag that lists the toll-free number and the tattoo number.
Tattoo-A-Pet (800-828-8667) and the National Dog Registry (800-637-3647) offer tattooing by franchisees throughout the country. The tattoos serve as legal evidence of ownership and are accepted by the American Kennel club.
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Stories
Stories abound where microchipping has helped reunite lost pets with their owners. In our clinic we have a client who took their dog with them on an out of state vacation. While on vacation, the dog got away from them and they were unable to find it. The dog had been microchipped before they left, and was able to be reunited with them. We have another client who took his cat on vacation from Indiana to Washington State. While there the cat ran off and they searched frantically for him. Unable to find him, they started their long drive back to Indiana sure they would never see their cat again. Shortly after arriving home they recieved a phone call from Washington state. The cat had been found, taken to a clinic, scanned for a microchip, and was now awaiting his owner to take him home.
Dr. Heitman, a veterinarian in Holland, MI tells the story of a stray cat that was brought into his clinic. The cat was scanned and a microchip found. The owners were contacted and it was found out that the cat was lost in a city over 100 miles away over one year ago. The cat was reunited with grateful owners.
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