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Finding Fido - Technology to the
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Finding Fido - Technology to the
Rescue
http://www.toybreeds.com/microchips.htm
What happens if one morning you open your front
door to retrieve the newspaper and Fido dashes
through the door in pursuit of a squirrel, or
cyclist, or even a butterfly?
What if you're out walking and a loud noise scares
him so badly, he takes off.
Could you get him back?
Of course, most cities and states require that
dogs have tags and Fido's address, at least his
telephone number, should be on the tag.
Even if Fido has a license and tags, he may not
always wear his collar, he may lose it or thieves
may deliberately remove his collar.
What then?
If you're among the most technologically advanced,
Fido and you have a back-up position - a microchip.
It's an inert electronic transponder, the size
of a grain of rice.
A veterinarian can easily implant it, usually
in the scruff of the neck the loose skin between
the shoulder blades). Veterinarian fees usually
range from $25 to $60.
Once inserted, it can only be removed surgically.
Being under the skin, it is safe from weather,
erosion, alternation and theft and cannot be seen
by human eye. It has no battery.
More and more animal shelters are searching for
microchips in the stray animals they take in and
installing microchips in the animals they put
up for adoption.
For example, Chicago, Philadelphia and St. Louis
already use microchips on their strays.
With a microchip in place, a handheld reader can
be run over the dog's neck and an unique ID number
identified. The ID number is called in to a national
clearinghouse that provides 24-hour/7-day service
and will identify the owner who then can be contacted.
That's why it's important to report your address
or phone changes to the clearinghouse so its data
is always current and accurate.
If you think this scenario is unlikely, please
note that in 1999 only 14% of the dogs taken to
American animal shelters were returned to owners.
This compares to 51% of the dogs returned to owners
in England where mandatory identification systems
exist.
Because of the large population of unwanted dogs,
most shelters cannot keep strays, especially adult
dogs, for very long. In the city I live in, adult
dogs are either adopted or destroyed after THREE
days in the shelter.
Many foreign countries require microchips if you
want to take your dog with you as your travel.
Under the Pet Travel Scheme in the European Union
countries as well as Japan, Singapore, Australia
and New Zealand, dogs must have a microchip to
avoid quarantine and travel as freely between
countries as their owners.
Even if you never plan to take Fido aboard, make
sure your veterinarian uses an ISO (International
Standards Organization) standard microchip that
is accepted in Europe. Just in case.
As of this writing, there are two brands of microchips
sold in the United States - Avid and Schering-Plough.
Both companies provide animal shelters with scanners
that can read any of their microchips.
There also are several clearinghouses for ID numbers.
Your veterinarian will tell you which one he uses.
Some clearinghouses charge a one-time fee and
some charge an annual fee.
If your veterinarian doesn't have a recommendation,
call the animal shelter in the nearest large city
to you and see what they use.
I use the registration service through the
American Kennel Club {www.akc.org/} which charges
(at the time this is written) a $12.50 enrollment
fee. You do not have to be an AKC member to use
this service. AKC recommends using the Schering-Plough
microchip.
As with any newer technology, some people, even
veterinarians, are reluctant to be among the first
users.
There is no reason to hold back with microchips.
It won't hurt Fido and if he's ever missing in
action, it may save his life.
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