Why We Microchip Our Pups
Why We Microchip Our Pups
May is Chip Your Pet Month, so what better time to learn about the benefits of microchipping your dog? Microchipping your dog is a safe and easy way to identify them if they get lost, and it increases their chances of getting back home.
Did you know that over 10 million pets get lost in the US each year? Of those pets, the ones that are microchipped are 200% more likely to be reunited with their families versus non-chipped pets. That's a pretty major difference! That's why each and every puppy that comes from The Family Puppy is microchipped before going to their furever home.
A microchip is not a GPS device. It's a very small radio-frequency identification transponder, about the size of a grain of rice. It carries a unique ID number that, when scanned by a vet or a shelter, brings up the information associated with the microchip. In order for the microchip to do its job, it first needs to be registered with a national pet recovery database. Without being registered, a microchip will not be any help. At The Family Puppy, all our pups are microchipped and enrolled in LostMyPet.com, a pet recovery database.
If your pet ever does get lost, keep these steps in mind:
- Stay calm – this will help you make sound decisions.
- As soon as you know your pet is missing, search a few miles around the last place they were seen. Ask neighbors, friends, and family to help. Bring your pet's favorite treats or toys, and call their name along with words they respond to, like 'treat'.
- Notify your local shelters and police. Share a current photo along with a description of your pet, and any other information that can help bring your pet home.
- Post photos of your pet, where they were last seen, and your contact information on social media. Putting a picture of your pet and your information together in one image will help keep everything together when it's shared.
- Post flyers with your pet's photo and contact information around town.
- Visit local shelters and contact them for updates.
With one in three pets getting lost at some point in their lives, it's imperative to use as many tools as you can to get them back home. Collars and tags can fall off or break, which is why microchipping your dog is the best way to help lost pets return home. If you have any questions about the benefits of microchipping your pup, let us know!