A guide to microchips for pets: Finding lost dogs and cats, making happy reunions happen

According to the American Veterinary Medical Association, one in every three pets will be “lost” at some point. Fortunately, there are more ways to reunite lost dogs and cats with their loving homes than ever before. We at Bluestar Pet Hospital & Grooming have facilitated many happy reunions in St. Johns, Florida area. One of our skilled veterinarians can use unique microchips to identify your dog or cat if they are separated from you and your household. 

Basics 

Microchips are a unique identifier. Each pet is assigned a unique number that can be obtained by scanning the chip. Since the chip does not use GPS or other forms of geolocation, it cannot “track” your pet. Instead, one of our veterinarians will quickly, non-invasively, painlessly, and safely place the chip underneath your dog’s or cat’s skin. Typically, the chip is positioned between the shoulder blades. No bigger than a grain of rice, the chip’s “micro” abilities shine when your pet’s chip is scanned at a properly-equipped animal clinic, hospital, rescue organization, or another service provider. The chip then transmits your pet’s one-of-a-kind identifying number to the scanner. The person doing the scanning can then access the number but cannot access any other information about your pet or household. So, your personal information, privacy, and data security are not vulnerable. 

Now, your contact information is held by a qualifying microchip registrar. It is essential to keep the information associated with your pet’s number up to date. We are happy to answer any questions about initial registration and ongoing “maintenance,” which accounts for moves and other changes to your contact details. With this information on file and maintained to account for any changes, you and your pet can be happily reunited again! 

Microchipping importance and impact

To Bluestar Pet Hospital & Grooming, microchipping is an essential preventative service. We recommend that all pets, including indoor kitties, be microchipped. You never know what could happen! We also echo the sentiments of the AVMA; microchips are not a substitute for up-to-date tags and collars that are in good condition. However, we appreciate that tags can fall off and collars can break. So, microchips as a service provide additional peace of mind and only aid in reuniting pets with their families. 

The AVMA reports that chipped dogs are twice as likely to be reunited with their parents than non-chipped canines, while microchipped felines are at least 20 times more likely to rejoin their families than non-chipped cats. There are at least 20 microchip registries in North America alone. A single registry reportedly reunited almost 167,000 pets in one year. That is the power of microchipping!

Hope for the best, but prepare for the worst. Call (904) 720-4275 to schedule your pet’s “well” visit. 

During your visit, we can discuss microchips and any other services that are in the best interests of your beloved companion’s health and well-being. Be sure to also ask about our affordable Wellness Plans for puppies, kittens, dogs, and cats. 

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