Pet identification microchips, also known as personal identification transponders, make it possible to reunite lost pets with their owners.
"Oh, they definitely work," said Dr. Richard McCartan of Kenai Veterinary Hospital. "We've had a number of animals recovered because they were chipped."
How does it work?
A microchip is implanted beneath the surface of the skin, between the pet's shoulder blades. The product is specifically designated for use in companion animals, such as dogs and cats, but horse-owners also have been known to use microchips.
They can be used in small mammals, too, but this hasn't been widely done. And they aren't recommended for use in most birds.
The implant procedure requires no special treatment or anesthetic and can be performed in seconds by most veterinarians for a fee of about $50.
The microchip remains inactive until it is read with a scanner. The low radio frequency emitted by the scanner provides the microchip with the power necessary to transmit its unique alphanumeric code and positively identify the animal.
This is considerably different from the radio collars often associated with wildlife tracking. The microchip is a passive electronic device that has no batteries or internal energy source, thus it is able to transmit its stored codes for the life of the animal.
The next step is to enroll the pet by mailing or calling in its unique identification number to the national database maintained by the American Kennel Club (AKC). The database, known as Companion Animal Recovery (CAR), is available 24 hours a day, 365 days a year. The toll-free number is (800) 252-7894.
Special tags are issued after enrollment, but unlike tags that can come off easily or be removed, or tattoos that can blur or be altered, the microchip will last forever. The tags do serve to dissuade would-be dognappers, though.
"If they wear the tags (that come with the chip) it prevents a lot of thefts," McCartan said. "People in the business of stealing dogs know those animals can be ID'd, so they leave them alone."
"It's indisputable proof," said Dr. Tim Bowser of Soldotna Animal Hospital in regard to ownership disputes over lost or stolen dogs. "It's added insurance.
"We do it a fair amount, but I think it would be wise if more people had it done," Bowser said.
He not only suggests it, but practices what he preaches.
"All of my animals are done," he said.
More than 1.5 million pets are enrolled in the AKC-CAR program, and more than 114,985 lost pets have been reunited with their owners through it. The program boasts a 100 percent success rate, since every "found" pet in the system has been successfully matched to its owner.
People enrolling their pets in the program also are asked to provide alternate contacts, such as relatives or veterinarians, in case they cannot be reached themselves.
It's imperative that owners keep their contact information up to date. This is perhaps the single most critical component of the program being successful.
"Owners have to keep the chip company database updated," said Brett Reid, Kenai Animal Control officer. "A chip's ID number doesn't do any good unless I know who to call about it.
"A lot of times we get in a dog with a chip, but when we call, we get a breeder who doesn't have any records of who the dog went to," Reid said.
An area of concern for many owners contemplating this procedure is which brand to use.
When first developed, microchips could only be read by scanners by the same manufacturer. In 1996, though, universal scanners were introduced in the United States. These can detect and read the numbers from all brands of chips. Universal scanners are now used by most animal shelters, humane societies and animal control agencies.
Microchips provide pet owners with another option for pet safety and security. Although use of microchips can be a simple and effective method of increasing the odds of finding a lost pet, Humane Society of the United States' statistics indicate not even a quarter of the 68 million dogs and 73 million cats owned in the United States will be microchipped by their owners.
Joseph Robertia is a reporter for the Peninsula Clarion.
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