Posts Tagged ‘microchip your dog’
Tips for Finding a Missing Pet
A missing furry friend can cause a lot of stress for you and your family. When your pet is missing, it is important to act fast. Don’t waste time waiting for your pet to come home. The sooner you begin to look for your pet, the better the odds are of you finding them.
Start your search in your neighborhood or the area the pet was lost. Be sure to let your neighbors know that your pet is missing and ask them to keep an eye out for them.
Thoroughly search the area. Call your pet’s name and check any places where they could have become trapped, such as basements, garages, or under vehicles. A lost pet will often hide during the day, so be sure to go out again at night with a flashlight and call for them if you don’t have luck during the day.
Check with your local shelters daily. Do not just call; visit the shelters to look for your pet. Many animals are difficult to describe over the phone, and only you really know what your pet looks like.
Call all animal control agencies in your town and surrounding areas. Animal control officers work through the police department and pick up stray animals. Call them or check their shelters at least every two days.
Other community resources include local neighborhood groups on apps like Nextdoor or Facebook. Ask your friends and neighbors to share photos of your pet notifying their network that your pet is missing. You can also put up physical lost pet signs in your neighborhood, post offices, libraries, pet supply stores, veterinary offices, and grocery stores. Be sure to inform your veterinarian and groomer that your pet is lost in case they receive a call.
Lastly, there are online services like lostmydoggie.com and lostmykitty.com that after you fill out the information about the pet, will notify shelters, rescues, and vets in the area automatically, providing them with the information you supplied.
A lost pet is a scary time. However, a lost pet with a microchip and a pet ID tag is a lot more likely to find its way back home. A microchip is a permanent pet ID tag that allows for veterinarians and shelters to identify who owns that pet, even if the pet ID tag is missing.
If you have lost your pet, found a pet, or have any questions at all, feel free to call Dr. Olsen of Olsen Veterinary Clinic at 618-656-5868.
5 Reasons To Microchip Your Dog
Microchipping your dog could seem useless and unimportant. In reality, it is something that is extremely important for your dog’s life in case anything bad happens. Microchipping involves implanting a rice-sized chip between your pet’s shoulder blades. It is highly recommended by veterinarians, breeders, and animal-rescue organizations. In some countries, it is even law to have your dog microchipped. If the recommendation by your vet is not enough reasoning for you to have your dog microchipped, here are five reasons to stay prepared with a microchip.
In case your dog ever gets lost. It may be easy to think that it will never happen to your dog. However, AKC Reunite reports that one in three dogs will go missing at some point in their lifetime. A collar is beneficial in protecting your dog if they get lost, but collars can easily break, fall off, or be removed. A microchip, however, is a reliable and safe way to get the owner’s contact information as well as vital medical information to increase the odds that they will be returned to the owner.
If your dog gets stolen. If a dog is ever stolen, it can be hard to ensure the identity of one dog to another dog, especially if steps have been made to change their appearance. A microchip will clear up any dispute with a quick scan, proving who is the correct owner.
If something happens to you. If you get in an accident and are with your pet, records can be obtained from the pet’s microchip, allowing the authorities to get in contact with your family. Microchips provide identification for not only your pet, but you as well.
Microchips are getting more tech-savvy. Some microchip manufacturers are implementing functionality for smart homes. For example, some chips can communicate with doggie doors to let your dog and your dog only inside or out to prevent unwanted critters from getting in. Other manufacturers also offer lost pet alerting services and even travel assistance for people who like to take their pets along on vacations.
Microchips last a lifetime. Unlike collars, microchips last forever and can’t be lost. Once implanted, you don’t have to worry about them. It can be worthwhile to ask your vet to scan it at a visit to make sure that it is not malfunctioning. It is a simple step that you can take to protect you and your dog.
Microchipping is a fairly inexpensive way to protect you and your family. Especially when you consider the cost of losing your family pet. For this and any other questions or concern for your pet, don’t hesitate to contact us today!