The Great Escape: The Importance of Microchipping Your Pet

The thought of a pet escaping the home or yard isn’t something pleasant to consider. However, it’s estimated that one in three pets will go missing at some point in their lives. Even with the best of precautions, a curious cat or canine can easily slip through an open door, gate, or window.

That’s why microchipping your pet is one of the best defenses you have in avoiding a missing pet tragedy. The team at The Bluffs encourages all pet owners to consider this effective and permanent form of identification.

Microchipping Your Pet for Added Peace of Mind

A microchip might sound a bit high tech, but it isn’t an elaborate tracking system. Rather, a microchip is simply a tiny radio frequency transponder no bigger than a grain of rice. Unlike GPS, the transponder does not require a battery but emits a radio frequency signal only when it’s picked up by a specific type of scanner used to read microchips.

Microchips are also covered in a bio-capsule that’s safe and compatible for implantation under the skin. Typically, microchipping occurs during a pet’s spay or neuter surgery. The implantation itself is fast, does not require anesthesia, and is mostly painless – about the equivalent of receiving a vaccine shot.

Once implanted, newer microchips are designed to bond with the surrounding tissues, usually between the shoulder blades or the “scruff” of the neck. After this procedure, your pet will have a unique identification number for life, and you will be given the paperwork to register your pet with a registry that tracks these numbers and manages your contact information.

We also want to stress the importance of maintaining up-to-date information with the registry throughout your pet’s life, since accurate information is essential for reuniting with a missing pet.

While there’s not a 100% guarantee that any pet who goes missing will find his or her way back home, microchips are the safest, most effective choice since they cannot be removed or break off like ID tags.

Preventing an Escape

To prevent a missing pet scare, your friends at The Bluffs recommend:

• Providing obedience training to canine pets, teaching important commands such as “stay” and “here”
• Installing pet proof perimeter fencing around the home
• Keeping your pet on a leash at all times when out on walks or away from the yard
• Maintaining current photos of your pet should he or she become lost (for missing pet posters and online notices)
• Putting your pet in a secure room during holiday gatherings or parties, when doors can accidentally be left open
• Using a secure carrier or crate when traveling with your pet

If you would like more information on the benefits of microchipping, we’re happy to answer your questions.