Dog Training

FINDING LOST PETS - MICROCHIPS

Microchips:
A microchip implant is a tiny micro-electronic device consisting of a silicon chip and a passive coil all inside a bio compatible glass pellet about the size of a grain of rice. It's actually a tiny radio transponder. The chip is encoded with a unique, unalterable identification number. Once the chip is implanted under the skin, you simply register the chip with the registry company, who will keep all of your contact information in its database in much the same way other registries keep track of tattoo numbers and tag identification numbers.

If your pet is taken into a shelter or to a veterinarian, scanned, and a chip is discovered, they will contact the registry who in turn will contact you. Chips can even be traced to the veterinarian who did the implant. This is important because if you have a chip implanted and your pet escapes before you've had a chance to register it (or if you move and forget to update your contact information with the chip registry), the chip can be traced to the veterinarian who implanted it. She or he will likely know how to get in touch with you. A microchip could also save your pet from becoming a research experiment, as new grant and funding requirements are forcing research laboratories to scan animals that have been slated for experimentation or research for microchips.

In August of 2001, the one-millionth pet was enrolled with Companion Animal Recovery (CAR) (www.akccar.org), the lost pet registry run by the American Kennel Club (www.akc.org). CAR has been responsible for over 60,000 lost pet recoveries since 1995. CAR is also the official registry for the Home Again microchip, one of the two leading microchip implants on the market today. AVID (American Veterinary Identification Devices), another leader in microchip implants and the maker of the FriendChip, reports equally impressive results. AVID's PETtrack system has helped recover 132,000 pets since 1991. For more information on AVID, visit their website at www.avidid.com.

Although microchipping pets has been done for several years, it is only since the invention of the universal scanner that it has become widely accepted. In the earlier days of microchipping, there were several different chip manufacturers, each requiring a different scanning device. The situation was so bad that it was not unusual for shelter workers to have to use four different scanning devices on a single animal. Fortunately for us and our animals, the industry has standardized, with the development and subsequent proliferation of the universal scanner. More than 100,000 universal scanners have been sold to veterinarians and animal shelters, or given away through free scanner placement programs.

Also, the newer chips employ anti-migration technology which allows the chip to adhere to the tissue almost immediately, thus preventing it from moving around under the skin, which was a major drawback of earlier chips.

With incompatability and migration problems solved, with organizations like The American Kennel Club endorsing the technology, and with major corporations like Schering-Plough (Home Again Microchip) involved, consumer as well as professional confidence is growing. More and more veterinarians are doing implants and promoting the use of chips.

Adapted from:
The Complete Guide to Lost Pet Prevention & Recovery

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FINDING LOST PETS - MICROCHIPS Microchips: A microchip implant is a tiny micro-electronic device consisting of a silicon chip and a passive coil all inside a bio compatible glass pellet about the size of a grain of rice. It's actually a tiny radio transponder. The chip is encoded with a unique, unalterable identification number. Once the chip is implanted under the skin, you simply register the chip with the registry company, who will keep all of your contact information in its database in much the same way other registries keep track of tattoo numbers and tag identification numbers. If your pet is taken into a shelter or to a veterinarian, scanned, and a chip is discovered, they will contact the registry who in turn will contact you. Chips can even be traced to the veterinarian who did the implant. This is important because if you have a chip implanted and your pet escapes before you've had a chance to register it (or if you move and forget to update your contact information with the chip registry), the chip can be traced to the veterinarian who implanted it. She or he will likely know how to get in touch with you. A microchip could also save your pet from becoming a research experiment, as new grant and funding requirements are forcing research laboratories to scan animals that have been slated for experimentation or research for microchips. In August of 2001, the one-millionth pet was enrolled with Companion Animal Recovery (CAR) (www.akccar.org), the lost pet registry run by the American Kennel Club (www.akc.org). CAR has been responsible for over 60,000 lost pet recoveries since 1995. CAR is also the official registry for the Home Again microchip, one of the two leading microchip implants on the market today. AVID (American Veterinary Identification Devices), another leader in microchip implants and the maker of the FriendChip, reports equally impressive results. AVID's PETtrack system has helped recover 132,000 pets since 1991. For more information on AVID, visit their website at www.avidid.com. Although microchipping pets has been done for several years, it is only since the invention of the universal scanner that it has become widely accepted. In the earlier days of microchipping, there were several different chip manufacturers, each requiring a different scanning device. The situation was so bad that it was not unusual for shelter workers to have to use four different scanning devices on a single animal. Fortunately for us and our animals, the industry has standardized, with the development and subsequent proliferation of the universal scanner. More than 100,000 universal scanners have been sold to veterinarians and animal shelters, or given away through free scanner placement programs. Also, the newer chips employ anti-migration technology which allows the chip to adhere to the tissue almost immediately, thus preventing it from moving around under the skin, which was a major drawback of earlier chips. With incompatability and migration problems solved, with organizations like The American Kennel Club endorsing the technology, and with major corporations like Schering-Plough (Home Again Microchip) involved, consumer as well as professional confidence is growing. More and more veterinarians are doing implants and promoting the use of chips. Adapted from: The Complete Guide to Lost Pet Prevention & Recovery Subscribe to the monthly version of Straght Tales delivered by email. Free coupons are included to reduce the cost of your next purchase.

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