Every two seconds a family pet is lost. - The gate was unlatched, left open by mistake.  Do you realize just how much your pet means to you?   Every pet owner has experienced a moment when his or her beloved pet was lost, if only for a moment.  These moments can be heart wrenching. Every pet has the potential to roam or run away.  Tragically, most never make it back home because their owners didn't identify them.  Identifying your pet is vital.  With the microchip, your pet can't leave home without identification.  If your lost pet is found by a participating shelter, they'll check him for a microchip with a special scanner.  When the shelter finds a chip number, they call a 24 hour hotline.  After a quick search of the National registration services database, you, or your veterinarian is contacted, and your pet comes home!

 What is the Microchip?

A microchip is a tiny electronic transponder that contains a personal, one-of -a-kind identification number about the size of a grain of rice.  It is so tiny that it fits through a hypodermic needle.  Just like a vaccination, it's injected under the skin of your pet in the scruff of the neck (the loose skin over the pet's shoulder blades).  This procedure takes seconds and does not require anesthesia.  Once implanted into the animal, the microchip remains inactive until read with a scanner.  The chip, antenna, and capacitor are encased in a tiny glass tube.  The tube is composed of soda lime glass, which is known for compatibility with living tissue.  The glass is hermetically sealed to keep moisture out. The microchip will last the life of the animal.  This safe, lifetime protection takes just minutes to complete.

The best way to obtain a microchip is to contact your local veterinarian for information about acquiring permanent microchip identifiction for your pet. Veterinarians will provide you with an enrollment form and visual collar tag at the time a microchip is implanted.  The enrollment form must be filled out and sent in immediately to the registration agency to activate the process.

A community microchip program will return lost animals home, protect pets from theft and accidental euthanasia, foster responsible animal ownership and produce a healthier pedigree.  Microchips are the main weapon to combat our nations number one animal killer, unidentified animals.  In short, microchips will protect pets and save animal lives.

Schering-Plough and Avid systems retail between $25 and $60 depending on the number of pets owned and whether the pet is enrolled in a national database. Shelters offer the chip for under $15.  Microchips are considerably cheaper if they are bought in lots and implemented as part of a group clinic or through a shelter agency.  Like most items, the more you buy, the cheaper the cost.

HomeAgain ™
Marketed by Schering-Plough Animal Health - www.homeagainid.com
Chip and Scanner Manufacturer: Destron-Fearing- www.destronfearing.com
Registration and Recovery Services:
AKC Companion Animal Recovery Network (aprox $12.50)
Phone: 800-252-7894, Email: found@akc.org

PetNet - Canada. Phone:800-PETNETS
Chip and Scanner Manufacturer: Anitech chip
Registration and Recovery Services: PetNet -www.petnet.ca/petnet_live/servlet/Index