Make sure your pet's microchip up-to-date on registration
Most of us would be devastated if our pets accidentally got out of the house or the yard or off the leash while on a walk and got lost.
We may think this is an unlikely event, but statistics show that 1 in 3 pets become lost at some point in their lives.
National Microchipping Month in June brings attention to the importance of having your pet microchipped so if he ever does get lost, there is a way to identify him and contact you so your fur baby can be returned to his home.
A microchip is a radio frequency identification chip that has a unique identification number. It is very small - about the size of a grain of rice. It does not have batteries and needs no power.
It is implanted just under the skin between your pet's shoulder blades. When a microchip scanner is passed over the chip, it emits a radio signal that transmits the unique identification number.
A microchip is not, however, a GPS tracking device. It is not capable of showing pet parents where their pets are at any given time.
Inserting a microchip is simple and safe and can be done at your veterinarian's office. Your pet does not need local pain blockers or to be put under anesthesia. Your pet's experience will be similar to getting a vaccination, although the needle is larger.
Once the microchip is implanted, you must register it. Registration is often done for you by your veterinarian, but be sure to ask if it's being done on your behalf or if you need to do it.
When you register a chip, you provide contact information for yourself and/or anyone else you would want to be contacted should your pet be found.
I can't tell you how many times we have scanned a lost pet at Red Barn Animal Hospital, found a microchip number, called the registration provider, discovered it was never registered, and had no way to find the pet parent. So sad!
Also, if your contact information changes due to a switch in email providers, you change your phone number, or you move to a new residence, the information in the microchip registration needs to be updated.
Some people are concerned about the security of their contact information in fear that it may be shared inappropriately.
Rest assured, if your pet ever gets lost and is taken to a vet or a shelter that scans him and finds a chip, the only information provided by the microchip is your pet's unique identification number and the manufacturer's registration phone number.
When the registration company is contacted, they will not share your information with whoever has your pet. Instead, they contact you directly and give you details on where your pet can be found.
It is important to have your pet microchipped even if he wears a collar with identification and rabies tags. Although an identification tag on a collar is probably the fastest way to have a pet returned, tags can fall off or become unreadable, and collars can be broken or removed.
Microchips are meant to be permanent, and most are, but in rare cases they can become faulty. Your veterinarian should use a microchip scanner during annual exams to ensure the microchip is working properly.
If your pet is not already microchipped, make an appointment with your veterinarian today to have it done. Then don't forget to register it, and you will become part of the group of pet parents who are far more likely to be reunited with your fur baby if he should ever get lost.
• Diana Stoll is the practice manager at Red Barn Animal Hospital with locations in Hampshire and Gilberts. Visit www.redbarnpetvet.com or call (847) 683-4788 or (847) 426-1000.