Companion Connection

Microchipping—Why Do It?

"The greatness of a nation and its moral progress can be judged by the way its animals are treated...

I hold that, the more helpless a creature, the more entitled it is to protection by man from the cruelty of man." -Mahatma Gandhi-

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“How Can I Find My Lost Pet?”

 

 

Nationwide, every 4.5 seconds a lost companion animal is taken to the Humane Society or other animal control agency. Only one pet in five is successfully returned to his/her guardian. What can you do to ensure you have the best chance of getting your pet back?

 

Before your Pet is Lost

Your best chance of finding your pet is if you have physical tags attached to the collar and a microchip implanted under your pet’s skin. The rabies tag will provide the finder the veterinary hospital that cares for your pet.  A personal tag should contain the pet’s name, your name, and a telephone number. The reference telephone should be one that you can answer at any time, such as a cell phone.

A microchip is about the same size as a grain of rice. The microchip uses passive Radio Frequency Identification (RFID) technology and can be implanted by a veterinarian using a syringe. The microchip has an encoded identification number that can be read with specialized scanner. Most veterinarians, animal shelters and some animal rescue organizations will have the appropriate scanners.

After the microchip is implanted and at the pet’s annual checkup, the chip should be scanned to ensure it is working properly and is in the correct location.

 

After your Pet is Lost

There is a certain amount of luck in finding your pet but the following steps will help:

Create a lost pet flyer with a clear picture of your pet, along with your contact information. A template for the flyer can be found at the CompanionConnection.net website.

Talk to the people in your neighborhood. The best practice is to go door-to-door and talk to as many people as you can. Use the flyer to show them a picture of your pet.

Call or go to the website of the microchip registry of your pet’s chip. Have them flag your pet as being lost. Also, ensure that the contact information is correct. If you have not already registered the chip, do so now. There is no time limit on when you register it, but there may be a fee.

Go to local animal shelters to look for your pet. Don’t just ask the shelter representative. They may not know and the easy answer is that they have not seen your pet. Go to the pens and look for yourself. Do this on a daily basis. Most shelters have a three-day hold on animals before they are euthanized, but conditions can change.

Contact veterinarians and local animal rescue groups.

List on your local NextDoor!

If all else fails, puts ads in the local paper, Craigslist and post the information on facebook or other social media sites.