Check the Chip – August 15 2016

Check the Chip day is to remind all pet owners the importance of having their pets microchipped. Any vet will tell you that microchipping your pet is part of caring for your pet. However, even if your pet has a microchip, it is still essential that you make sure that your contact information is up to date.

Why Is Pet Microchipping Important?

Microchipping your pet is important because it greatly increases your pet's chances of being returned in the event they are lost or stolen. The microchip contains all the information necessary for a vet or rescue center to contact you if your pet is found.

A study in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found that around 75% of dogs and 60% of cats that came into shelters were returned to their owners. The high rate of return-to-owner was thanks to owners who had their pets microchipped.

However, the microchip in your pet is only as good and useful as the accuracy of the information on it. The study reported that around 35% of animals couldn't be returned to owners because of incorrect or disconnected telephone numbers.

How to Check the Chip?

First of all, it's important to make sure that your pet is microchipped. In order to do this, make an appointment at your local vet. Once the microchip has been put in you need to register the chip in the manufacturer's database with your contact information.

If your pet has already been microchipped you can go to the manufacturer's database online, enter the microchip number and check the information. If you are unsure which database your pet microchip was registered in, you can use the Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool.

Hopefully, you will never have to go through the stress and worry of your pet being lost. But, if that does happen, you at least know that the chances of your pet being returned are greatly increased thanks to the microchip. So, remember to Check the Chip on August 15 2016.