Today, I read a touching story about a dog in Albuquerque, NM. “Missing Dog Found Alive After Three Year Journey”. This dog was lost three years ago and recently reunited with its owner after being found 120 miles away in Las Vegas, NV. The dog had a microchip implanted when its owner originally adopted him and this was how the Las Vegas animal rescue folks found this pet’s owner.
Pet owners often worry that their pet could escape or run away. We know they love us, but there is a big world out there with great smells and places to explore. It may happen in an instant. The kids leave the door open, the gate in the back yard is left unlocked, a rope or leash breaks. Sometimes they get scared, slip a collar and run. An indoor/outdoor cat disappears. The shelters are full of pets that are lost. Too often veterinarians see pets found without identification that are sometimes injured or sick.
Microchipping your pet can give you the reassurance of knowing that if your pet runs away, is lost or stolen they will have a permanent identification that will enable a Good Samaritan, animal rescue or veterinarian to return that pet to you. Animal shelters and veterinarians carry universal scanners that can find an id chip that is implanted under the skin between your pet’s shoulder blades. It is a quick, painless procedure that can be performed by your veterinarian and animal rescue groups. Cost is usually around $50. This is not a GPS so the pet does need to be scanned to identify the owner. If your pet does not have this life-saving device contact your veterinarian. For a video on how a microchip is implanted click here.
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Dr. Ginger Garlie
