When adopting a furry, four-legged friend into your household it is important to make safety a priority for your new family member.

While dog collars with name badges and a good contact number to call in case your pet is lost are a great way to provide security, dog microchipping is an excellent second line of defense to help bring your dog back home safely.

What is Dog Microchipping?

Microchipping is a completely quick, harmless experience to have some peace of mind if ever your pet is lost or separated from you. Microchips are smaller than a grain of rice and are implanted via a small injection under the skin. If your pet is lost, a veterinarian or animal shelter can scan your pet's chip to see who they belong to. A contact number, name, and address are typically linked to your dog's microchip.

In many cases, microchips have helped owners be reunited with their lost pets no matter how many miles apart. This does not mean you shouldn't keep a collar on your dog, however. A collar is an instant way to find who the lost pet belongs to; microchips are in case the collar has come off or has been removed.

Dog microchips provide a permanent sense of security and reassurance when it comes to owning a pet. The Bay-Porte Animal Hospital team highly recommends this simple and effective implementation for your pet. 10 million cats and dogs are stolen, or go missing in the US every year, according to the American Humane Association. Microchipping has helped reunite lost pets to their owners due to its guaranteed effectiveness.

No anesthetic is required when it comes to this implant and your pet is unlikely to even feel the procedure. Dogs revive this implant at the back of the neck in between their shoulder blades underneath the skin.

Benefits of Your Dog Being Microchipped

It's no surprise that the dog mind likes to wander, and so does your pet! The number of lost dogs in the US is in the millions, and strays take up the majority of animal shelters across the nation. To take preventative measures against losing your pet, microchipping is the best and most reliable option.

Microchipping can be done at your local vet, and most times animal shelters will adopt our pets that have already been chipped. You can always update your contact information with your veterinary clinic to guarantee your pet can be returned home safely and without complication.

Permanent Identification

Lost dog signs across neighborhoods, posts on neighborhood Facebook groups, and Craigslist ads are no match for a permanent identification tag on your pet at all times. Dog microchipping is a means for guaranteed security and reassurance when owning a beloved pet.

Many veterinarians and shelters will recommend that you microchip your pet before taking them home with you. Losing a pet can be devastating, and difficult to locate otherwise. Even if your pet is microchipped it is best to have them wear a collar with an external identification tag as well. Wearing an ID tag on a collar can also help lost dogs find their way back home if found by a friendly neighbor or passerby.

Should you choose not to microchip your pet, there is a slight risk factor in the absence of permanent identification. If your dog gets lost, your only reassurance is their dog tag, which may be able to come off! Microchips are permanent security for your lost pet. Anyone who finds your pet may be able to find out who they belong to easily.

Low-Cost

Microchipping has been proven to be one of the best technologies to advance for pet owners across the nation. When paying out of pocket, you can expect to pay $45 for a microchip to be implanted in your pet. Otherwise, the shelter will include this fee in your adoption costs. Microchips are safe, reliable means of protecting your dog if they should end up lost and/or separated from you. You can be reassured that your pet will have a way back home if taken to a shelter or to a veterinary clinic where they can scan their microchip ID.

Quick and Painless

For several decades microchips have been a recommended way to provide safety to your pet. The microchip implant is harmless to your pet and does not require an anesthetic to have the procedure done. Many pet owners often find it a surprise how fast the microchip implant takes to administer. Underneath a layer of skin, the implant rests in order for your mind to rest when it comes to owning a beloved pet.

Thousands of Pets Returned Home

Veterinarians and shelters strongly advise you to microchip your pet to be able to find them should they get lost. Microchipping your dog may be a proactive act of love and care when it comes to pet ownership. Some dog microchips can tell you their name as well. Thousands of stories are available online sharing the animals that have been returned to their owners due to being able to scan their microchips.

Talk to a Veterinarian About Having Your Dog Microchipped

Luckily, the microchip is a permanent source of identification for lost pets. They can be anywhere in the world and if the chip can be scanned, you can be reunited with your dog or cat.

So, when adding a new dog to the family, be sure to take precautionary measures to ensure their safety and protection. You may be better off in the long run by microchipping your dog before they find themselves in the hands of a stranger.