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The Benefits of Microchipping Your Dog or Cat
We love our animals – they aren’t just pets. They are members of our family. Even just thinking about them getting lost gives me a pit in my stomach. I can’t imagine how I would feel if it actually happened. Unfortunately, millions of pet owners know the feeling of losing a pet all too well. According to HomeAgain, a national pet recovery service and subsidiary of Merck Animal Health, 10 million pets get lost every year, and 1-in-3 pets will get lost during their lifetime.
Without proper identification, more than 90% of pets will never make it home. We always encourage ID tags with the pet name, owner name and phone number. Those aren’t fool proof – pet owners can give their pets a break by taking off their collar and identification. Pets can also slip out of them or get them caught and torn while they are roaming around lost.
Microchipping your pet increases the likelihood of them being returned home should they become lost. More importantly, registering the chip with current pet owner information – name, address, phone number – will get your dog or cat home more quickly.
Microchip Registries:
Many microchip registries and lost pet/pet recovery services include benefits like 24/7 assistance and support, pet medical emergency hotline and a lost pet alert network.
According to Found Animals Microchip Registry, here are some startling facts about lost pets:
- Every seven seconds a pet is lost
- In the last fiveyears, 12.96 million cats were lost and 3.24 million were never found
- In the last five years, 10.95 million dogs were lost and 766,000 were never found
- With a registered microchip, a dog is 2.4 times more likely to make it back home
- With a registered microchip, a cat is 21.4 times more likely to make it back home
Make sure to ask your veterinarian about microchipping your dog or cat.
Nothing in this article should be construed as financial, legal or veterinary advice. Please consult your own advisors for questions relating to your and your pet’s specific circumstances.
