Microchipping Your Pet 

We are presented with stray pets, mostly dogs on a regular basis.  It is fortuitous that someone has taken the time to rescue an animal they find on the street and bring it in to a veterinarian.  Nothing makes us happier than to see a rabies tag or scan the dog or cat to find a microchip so that we can reunite them with a distraught owner. 

 

Unfortunately, the above scenario is not typical of the way these stories end.  Most lost pets do not find their way back home, and owners are left to wonder what fate they may have met.  What should we do to prevent our pets from getting lost, and give them the best chance of getting back home should the unimaginable occur?  

 

The risk of an escape or accidentally getting loose can be dramatically reduced with a few common sense steps.  Be sure your pet is spayed or neutered at an early age before hormones even kick in.  Roaming is instinctive and self-rewarding.  Your best bet is to never let your pet experience these “feelings” in the first place.  Once a dog gets out and continues to escape, they will roam farther and become more adventurous with each outing.  Far too often we become complacent that “she always comes back”, but eventually this will not be the case.

 

Check and inspect your fencing and gate system on a regular basis.  Boards loosen, tunnels get dug, and before you know it your secure yard is no longer.  When you initially bring a new dog home, make certain the fence is tall enough so that your dog would not even consider attempting to jump it.  Your otherwise reliable dog may find an escape route if motivated by fear and anxiety associated with fireworks, construction or storms.  Keep your dogs inside, safe and secure during these conditions.

 

Work with a trainer to teach your dog to wait when exterior doors and outside gates are open.  Create a barrier in the dog’s mind that it should not cross even when the temptation of an open door is there.  Should your dog escape and become loose, do not engage in a chase.  Never punish a dog when you do catch them or when they eventually come to you.  As hard as it is to control the anger and sometimes embarrassment you’ve just endured, the capture must be filled with only praise upon your dog.  Should these same events happen again, why would he want to come back to you if he was punished from a previous episode?   Work on having a consistent recall (come) with your dog.  This takes a lot of time with training, and practice before you gain the reliability that your dog will come when there’s a major distraction in its sights. 

 

Provide proper identification on your dog.  Have your dog implanted with a microchip and keep current identification on the collar.  If your dog is found and has a microchip, there is a much greater chance that medical care will be provided if needed, and your dog will be reunited with you.  Be cautious that the collar is safe so that it will break away should it become caught.  When a microchip is placed in your pet, your contact information must be registered with the chip company.  This is a critical step that oftentimes is overlooked.  Our hospital will register the chip for you to ensure there’s no delay or risk of the form getting lost at home.  Be sure to notify the chip company of address or phone number changes and I even call the company periodically to make sure the information is all correct and retrievable for my own pets. 

If your dog does go missing, consider this an emergency.  Go door to door, notify your local veterinarians, and animal control agencies, post appropriate signs and notices on internet sites.  Two invaluable and fascinating resources to look at are www.katalbrecht.com or www.missingpetpartnership.org   Kat Albrecht is a legitimate pet detective. 

She and I trained our dogs to search for missing people many years ago with Fresno County Search and Rescue.  I realized this was not doable with a full time veterinary career, but it became her calling.  She now uses these skills to search for missing pets.  Yes, her scent detection dogs are searching for lost cats and dogs. 

Although we may not have access to these highly trained dogs in our area, her website offers incredible knowledge about the predictable behaviors of missing pets and how best to find them. 

 

Implanting a small, permanent identification marker on your pet is a relatively painless procedure.  To facilitate the chance for more happy endings, we are offering half price on microchip placement for the month of March.   Please call our office or visit our website for more details. 

 

Melanie Morgan, D.V.M.

www.Primary CareVet.com

805-489-4307