When your pet gets lost…
Those first few moments – you never forget them.
Your palms sweat, your eyes wander, and you can’t sit still no matter what you do. You don’t know where your pet is. You need to find them, and you need to find them right now.
You call friends and family in a state of panic and beg them to help you search. You cry until you can’t anymore. You jump on the Internet and post on Facebook. You print flyers and stick them everywhere you can. You notify the vet. You drive all night, calling their name at the top of your lungs. Who cares if people complain about the noise?
You’re not alone in your feelings of worry and despair – thousands of pet owners know this situation all too well. It happens every day.
Let us tell you a story.
A client was brought into our veterinary clinic with a stray cat found wandering around Unionville. Word was the poor pet called the streets home for over a year! She was thin and had no collar, no tattoo, just an “ abandoned stray cat”.
But here’s where things take a turn for the better. We scanned for a microchip and in just a few minutes, we managed to find and contact the owners. Thrilled with the news, the family made the drive from Milliken to pick up their furry friend.
You can imagine the reunion that took place in our lobby. The family had been looking for her over a year doing everything they could. Only the good Samaritan who brought her in walked away disappointed (they’d grown rather attached to the lovable feline).
What helped reunite them? A microchip. All our veterinarian had to do was scan the chip to retrieve an address and phone number. Isn’t technology great? We love a happy ending, and this one certainly didn’t disappoint.
Microchips can’t help you when your pet is already lost. They are not tracking devices like a GPS tracker, but they are irrevocable identification devices.
Let’s review the pros and cons:
Pros of Microchips
- Microchips are cheap – no need to break the bank to get one.
- Your pet’s collar or tag fell off? No problem. A Markham vet can still identify them and contact you. If you know the microchip number of a pet you can contact 24PetWatch® or www.petmicrochiplookup.org and they will identify the owner of the pet for you. .
- Update your contact information online whenever you want.
- Gain proof of ownership to avoid potential problems.
- No two animals have the same chip number. It’s like a VIN (vehicle identification number) for a car.
- Microchips come with a lifetime registration.
- Implanting one is easy and painless for your pet.
Cons of Microchips
- Many people don’t know about microchips. They won’t ask their veterinary clinic to check.
- Each pet needs a separate microchip.
- If the microchip isn’t inserted using a sterile technique, there’s a risk of infection.
- They can and sometimes do fall out.
- When you don’t update your contact information, even if you have a chip, the veterinarian can’t reach you.
In the end, what you do is up to you. But consider this: The Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that 52% of microchipped shelter dogs make their way home.
Once you have witnessed the joy and seen the smiles when you reunite a “lost” pet with their family, you will understand that we strongly recommend a microchip implant.
If you found this blog informative, please share it with your friends on Facebook.
Sincerely,
Dr. Ernst Marsig, veterinarian in Markham
Fear Free Certified Practitioner
Practicing Veterinary Medicine in Markham for a Long and Happy Life of ALL Your Pets.
Animal Hospital of Unionville, a veterinary clinic on the north side of Hwy 7, serving all pets in Markham, Richmond Hill, Scarborough, Stouffville, and North York since 1966. We are your family vets for dogs, cats, pocket pets (rabbits, chinchillas, gerbils, mice, rats, hamsters, guinea pigs, skinny pigs, etc.), ferrets, and birds (budgies, cockatiel, parrots, amazon, cockatoo, love birds, conures, African greys, finches, canaries, etc.). We pride ourselves to provide cost effective veterinary medicine and give you options for treatments. Some may think our services as cheap, but our goal is to give good value.
Disclaimer: No part of this website constitutes medical advice. Readers are advised to consult with their veterinarian.
