In the blink of an eye, a pet can dart through an open door, slip under a gate, or get startled and run during a walk. Collars and tags help, but they can be lost or removed. Microchipping provides a permanent way to identify your pet. It’s the first thing that a shelter or veterinary clinic checks when a lost animal is brought in. That tiny chip can mean the difference between a pet going home, or staying lost. A chip is the most important thing to help your pet find its way back home.
A Chip On the Shoulder. Microchipping is a quick, in-office procedure that doesn’t require anesthesia. We use a sterile needle to insert the chip just beneath the skin, usually between the shoulder blades. Most pets respond much like they would to a routine vaccination, and it takes only a few seconds.
Mini Chips. The chip is about the size of a grain of rice, roughly 12 millimeters in length. It contains a unique ID number linked to a database with your contact information. A handheld scanner can read this number at most veterinarian clinics or hospitals (like Town N Country!), shelters, and animal control facilities.
When the Chips are Down. When your pet gets lost, microchips are there to help your pet come home. Designed to last a lifetime, chips don’t rely on batteries or charging, and they hardly ever malfunction. Made of biocompatible material, they sit under the skin, doing their job quietly and reliably for years – usually for your pet’s lifetime.
Check Your Chip. Each year, thousands of pets are reunited with their families because of a microchip. But the chip is only as good as its registration. If your contact info isn’t current in the registry, a chip may be unreadable in practice. That’s why it’s super important to check your information periodically and update it when you move or change phone numbers.
Microchipping is a simple, effective safety net for your family. If your pet isn’t chipped, make your appointment today. If your pet is, make sure that your information is up to date. Questions, or need us to check your chip? Talk to us. Microchipping can be the difference between a lost pet staying lost, or getting home where they belong.
