There are about 80 million dogs in the United States, according to some sources. About four million of them go missing each year and are never found. Another four million go missing but are eventually found by their owners. One in three dog owners report losing their pet at one time or another.
Statistics like these show why, if you own a dog, you may want to consider implanting a microchip.
When a dog is lost, he or she has no way of finding home. Microchipping offers the best chance of rescuing your dog if he or she is ever lost.
Here are some good reasons for using a microchip.
- It guarantees lifetime security.
A microchip is implanted under your pet’s skin. It lasts for about 25 years, longer than any kind of collar or tag. It cannot fall off or be rubbed off.
- Implantation is pain-free.
It is similar to getting a vaccination for your dog; it feels the same to the animal. The veterinarian uses a needle to insert the chip between the dog’s shoulder blades. The chip itself is about the size of a grain of wheat.
- It is effective.
According to a study by the American Veterinary Medical Association, dogs in shelters found their way back to their owners about 20 percent of the time. But that percentage increased to about 50 percent for dogs with microchips – from a one in five chance of being found to a one in two chance.
In fact, it has been so successful that it is now required in England and Scotland.
- It does not cost much.
The cost to buy and implant a chip will cost only about $10 to $40. And once it is put in, you can pretty much forget about it. It doesn’t need batteries.
However, you do need to check from time to time to make sure the registration information for the microchip is up to date. You can check this information in the microchip manufacturer’s database. To update the registration, you need the microchip number. If you do not have an account with the manufacturer, you will need to create one so that you can access it in the future to update the information.
You need to make sure that all of the information is correct, especially your address and telephone number.
The day you microchip your dog, why not treat him to a day playing in our 4,000-square-foot outdoor dog run with other day boarders here at Barney’s Ranch?
Contact us at (469) 273-1661 for more information about our day- and overnight-boarding services.