June is National Microchip Month. We cannot stress this enough-microchipping your pet is vital, especially when living in Houston. In a 2016 study conducted by Houston PetSet, approximately 84,512 animals went through the Houston shelter system. This cost Houston’s five largest shelters a collective $36,323,500, not accounting for the millions of privately funded dollars raised by hundreds of smaller non-profit animal welfare organizations. Additionally, it is estimated that there are also hundreds of thousands of homeless dogs and cats. In some surveys, Houston residents have reported stray dogs and cats as the most common problem in their neighborhoods, ranking higher than crime, drinking water, pollution and dumping, and creating a quality of life issue for our community.*
the sooner you get your pet microchipped, the sooner your pet is protected should it get loose or become lost.
here are some of our top microchip FAQs:
Q: Will having a microchip implanted in my pet cause them any discomfort?
A: No, this is a pain-free procedure. No anesthetic is required for a microchip implant. The procedure is performed in our mobile veterinary state-of-the-art clinics and is simple and similar to administering a vaccine or a routine shot. The microchip comes preloaded in a sterile applicator and is injected under the loose skin between the shoulder blades. The process takes only a few seconds.
Q: Do pet microchips work like global positioning devices (GPS). Will it tell me my pet's location?
A: Pet microchips are not tracking devices. Microchips are radio-frequency identification (RFID) implants that provide permanent identification for your pet. Because they use RFID technology, microchips do not require a power source like a GPS. When a microchip scanner is passed over the pet, the microchip gets enough power from the scanner to transmit the microchip's ID number. The microchip will last your pet's lifetime.
Q: If my pet wears a collar with tags, does he/she need a microchip?
A: All pets should wear collar tags imprinted with their name and the phone number of their owner, but only a microchip provides a permanent ID that cannot fall off, be removed, or become impossible to read.
Q: Will a microchip make it more likely for me to get my pet back if it is lost?
A: Yes. A study of more than 7,700 stray animals at animal shelters showed that dogs without microchips were returned to their owners 21.9% of the time, whereas microchipped dogs were returned to their owners 52.2% of the time. Cats without microchips were reunited with their owners only 1.8% of the time, whereas microchipped cats were returned 38.5% of the time.
Ready to get your pet microchipped in our state-of-the-art mobile veterinary clinics? Call us at 713-987-3237 to get your appointment on the books!
* “Health of Houston Survey” Houston, TX: Institute for Health Policy, The University of Texas School of Public Health, 2010.