Microchip Your Pet Before It’s Too Late
Every year, more than 6.5 million animals enter animal shelters nationwide. Many of these are pets that have lost their way from home. On average, only three to four percent of dogs that arrive at shelters are microchipped. The statistic is even worse for cats, as less than one percent of those entering shelters are microchipped. This increases the likelihood that once a pet is lost, it might never be reunited with it’s family, which is why microchipping is so important.
We can’t tell you how many sad stories we have heard over the years from people who wished they had microchipped their beloved pets while they had the chance.
What is Microchipping?
A microchip is a very small chip, that is electronic and activated when scanned. This tiny device is injected under your pets skin, so that when scanned it can read the pets identification number. This number is connected to the personal contact information of the pet’s owner and can help animals shelter locate your pet if it is ever lost. Microchips cannot fall off like a collar, and are the only permanent way to make sure your pet can be traced back to you. A microchip is no more painful than a typical injection for your pet, and anesthesia is not required for this procedure.
Microchips cannot directly track your pet, because they will be activated only when scanned. But if your pet happens to wander too far from home, and is picked up, the first thing animal control will check for is a microchip. Make sure that if your pet is microchipped, that they are registered to your correct name and updated contact information. You do not have to worry about privacy violations, as microchip manufacturers are obligated to protect your personal information.
Although a microchip cannot guarantee you will be reunited with your pet, it drastically increases your chances of locating them. That is why every animal adopted from Nevada Humane Society is microchipped.
What if I find a lost pet?
Imagine you had taken the precaution of microchipping your pet only to have them escape your home and be found by somebody who decided to keep them! Animal control, veterinarians, and even some pet supply stores can scan to check for a chip, but any found pet should always be reported to your local shelter in an attempt to reunite with the animal’s owner. There are a lot of local missing pet Facebook groups, and you can always utilize sites like Next Door to notify your neighborhood that you have found a stray animal. As much as you might fall in love with a cat who showed up at your door or a puppy who appeared in your yard, it’s imperative that you follow all the steps to try to get them back to their family first.
Microchip Services in our Community:
Free Microchip Service for Carson City residents
Carson City shelter is providing a FREE microchipping service to any Carson City resident.
A microchip is a radio-frequency identification transponder that carries a unique identification number, and is roughly the size of a grain of rice. When the microchip is scanned by a vet or shelter, it transmits the ID number and owner information. A microchip does NOT track location of animal. A microchip provides secure, reliable, and permanent identification, which greatly increases the likelihood that your pet, if lost, will be returned home to you. A microchip only does its job if it is registered with up-to-date contact information in a pet recovery database.
The microchip is implanted between the animal’s shoulder blades under the skin with a needle and special syringe. The process is similar to getting a shot (except with a larger needle). Once in place, the microchip can be detected immediately with a handheld device that uses radio waves to read the chip.
This free event begins on March 15th and run until the end of the month, and low-cost services will be offered in the future.
How to get a Microchip at our Carson Shelter
The entire process of microchipping a pet takes only about 5 minutes. Any Carson City resident must call to make an appointment at the Carson City shelter between 10a.m. and 5p.m. You can call the main line (775-887-2171) to schedule an appointment. The Nevada Humane Society, Carson City address is 549 Airport Road. Once you arrive at the shelter you will need to call to inform them that you have arrived for a microchip service. Someone will meet you at your car to give some paper work to fill out as well as make a copy of your ID for our system. If your pet ever comes in, having this information on file allows us to pull up your information without having to go to the microchip company.
Washoe County Regional Animal Services
Washoe County also offers a free walk in microchipping service to any Washoe County resident. No appointment is necessary, you can visit them at 2825 Longley Lane from 8a.m.-5p.m. Monday through Friday, 9a.m.-3p.m. on Saturdays and they are closed on Sundays.
They also offer microchipping services for non-Washoe County residents for only $12. You can have a microchip scanned there anytime during their business hours. You can go to them to update microchip information in their system, and on occasion nationally.
Check the Chip!
Having your pet microchipped is the first step to making sure that they can always find their way home. The next step is making sure that you keep your pet’s information update with your personal phone number and address. If you ever move or are changing your phone number for any reason, make sure to update it with the microchip company that your pet is enrolled with, for example, Washoe County uses Home Again Microchips. You should call or check the microchip issuers website to make sure your information is up to date. Remember, an old email address, street address or phone number is not going to help you be reunited with your pet.
For more tips and tricks on all things pets, visit our Education section of the blog.