Pet microchips have been around for a while now, but some people still do not trust them, choosing to use only a collar and tag, if that. Another form of identification is a tattoo, usually inside one ear, but sometimes inside the lip. While microchipping is becoming more common, it's far from being a perfect system.
Not all facilities even check for chips, but for those that do, the pets are many times more likely to be returned to their owners. When a collar tag is provided that signifies the presence of a chip, the odds improve, since some veterinarians and shelters may not routinely look for one.
For optimum assurance, both a microchip and collar with tags should be used. Unfortunately, the use of only one identification system is not very trustworthy. And so far, nothing is. Collars can come off, wear out, or in some cases, be removed by people who gather animals for sale to research labs. And chips may not be detected, either because no one checks for one, or because they have the wrong scanner, or even because the scanner's battery might be low.
As a rule, most microchips are "passive," that is, they do not contain a power source. They can only be read by a scanner and do not transmit any information. However, the scanner reads the chip by using a specific radio frequency to activate the chip to reveal the number. Because companies don't use the same frequencies, their scanners won't read someone else's chip.
Inserting the chip is not supposed to be a big deal, but check with your veterinarian to see how many pets have been chipped at that office, and what company's chip is being used. Two of the best known companies in the U.S are AVID (American Veterinary Identification Devices) and Home Again. Another company, Banfield, is used in Europe and uses still another frequency.
Since they each have their own databases, it can lead to confusion, but you can help by at least making sure your pet's chip is registered. Without your information, the chip shows only a number that cannot be traced. To help reduce the confusion, some groups are working to create a database that includes all of the companies.
It can be useful to ask other pet owners about their experiences with microchipping their pets...whether it helped with a lost pet, or even if there were any side effects. There is concern that the chips can cause cancer at the injection site.
So far, the only real use for chips is to match a number with a registered owner. In the future, when systems are more reliable, chips may be useful for medical data (temperature, blood sugar, etc.) and to register animals that have a history of dangerous behavior.
Another technology that may be more useful and is available but not developed for this purpose, is the implementation of GPS devices attached to pets' collars. Tracking your own pet could be a more effective strategy, but again, even that depends on the collar staying intact and hoping no one steals the device.
Using two or more forms of identification is most helpful for reuniting lost or stolen pets with their owners, but if they are retrieved after being injured, it can help to alleviate the unexpected expense of treatment if you also have pet insurance. It could be devastating to locate a lost pet, only to be forced to let them die from injuries that are treatable, but not affordable.
Article Source: http://EzineArticles.com/?expert=Dr._R.J._Peters
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