Why should I microchip my pet?
Tags can break off the collar or become unreadable. Microchipping offers the best chance of recovering your lost pet.
Microchips are permanent pet identification that is injected with a syringe under the skin of your pet. No anesthesia is required. It is a quick procedure. They are the size of a grain of rice and house a tiny computer chip with an identification number. It is not a GPS chip. An enrollment form is completed with the microchip number, owner contact information, pet name and description, alternate emergency contact designated by the pet owner. The information is entered into the computer and is registered in the 24-PetWatch’s National Microchip registry. The registry provides 24 hour, toll free telephone service for the life of the pet. Shelters, Veterinarians, Animal Control can scan strays for chips, providing 24-hour PetWatch with the microchip number, description and location so they may notify the owner or emergency contact.
You should always keep your address, telephone number up-to-date with 24-PetWatch. Many stray animals come into the shelter microchipped but with disconnected phone numbers. The owner cannot be traced and reunited with their pet.