Microchipping Your Pet & How It Works

For today’s installment of ‘holistic pet living,’ we are talking about microchips. We will answer all of your questions and also talk about a few other ways to help reunite lost pets with their families.

Whether you have lived with pets all your life or a new pet owner, microchipping my be a new idea to consider.

Chipping your pet is a simple, affordable way to assist your pet to find its way home, if they should escape, run away or get lost.

What is it?

A microchip is a tiny transponder, about the size of a grain of rice. The chip uses radio frequency waves to send information about your pet. The chips are implanted right under the skin, usually right between the shoulder blades.

How do they work?

Each microchip contains a registration number and a phone number to the company who issued the chip. When a found pet is brought in to a pet hospital or vet clinic, or animal control agency the chip is scanned and their registration number will come up.

From there, the they will contact the chip company, and they will provide your contact information.

Microchips are relatively inexpensive {costing between $20-50} and will last for 25 years.

If you live in the Twin Cities area, here is a list of microchip clinics that happen throughout the week.

My pet isn’t registered. How do I do that?

Many shelters and rescues will microchip all animals before they are adopted. Once you adopt your dog or cat, you can contact the chip company {your rescue should have all of that information for you} and have your information transferred. Some companies will charge a one-time fee; others will charge an annual fee.

If your pet isn’t a rescue, you can contact a chip company and fill out the available paperwork.

Remember, if you move or change phone numbers, be sure to contact the microchip company and update your information.

Microchipping does not replace a collar and I.D. tags. Be sure your pet does not leave home with out wearing their tags!

Should your pet get lost, there are many resources to help reunite pets and their people. Both the Humane Society and Lost Dogs of MN have both ‘lost dog’ and ‘found dog’ listings on their sites. Lost Cats of MN posts pictures, cross streets and more info of both ‘found’ and ‘missing’ cats.

If your pet goes missing, here is a great article {with photos!} on how to find a lost dog. The Humane Society also has a great list of resources to contact if your pet goes missing.

Want more proof that microchipping your pet can save their life? Here are 16 heartwarming pictures and stories of lost {and found!} pets!

This pup was lost for NINE years and was finally reunited with her owner.