It is alarming to think that everyday many of our beloved pets are lost because of some event or accident we couldn’t stop or foresee. It is not uncommon for us to see flyers and posters of people looking for their dog or their cat. Some even go to the extent of putting paid advertisements, all in the hopes of finding their beloved pet. But what is even more alarming is the inadequacy of our shelters to handle the lost pets that they find. One shelter can only hold lost pets for 72 hours and after that they are euthanized. It’s not our pet’s fault that they got lost, yet it is them that have to suffer the consequences. According to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) there are about twenty million pets that are euthanized each year because they are not found by their owners. It is heartbreaking to think that only fourteen percent of dogs and four percent of cats that are in shelters are ever found by their owners. A lot of our pets suffer because we can’t find them. It is about time we do something about it.

The microchipping of pets has been around for quite a while now. It is an answer to a clamor for a way to easily find the owners of the pets. The traditional way of putting a dog collar or tag has been found to be inadequate as they fade and often can be easily scratched off or taken off. Microchipping is a proposed solution to the growing problem of lost pets. How does the microchip work? A microchip is a small, tiny chip the size of one grain of rice that is inserted into the pet’s loose skin located in his shoulder blade. The microchip contains valuable information about the pets owner and can be detected by a scanner. The microchip sends a signal to the scanner about the pet owner’s information that is stored in a database. Once the information is retrieved it would be easy for the shelter to find the pet owner and reunite him with his pet.

You may be worried that the microchip might hurt your pet. The truth is, putting the microchip is no more painful than giving your pet a vaccine. The microchip is so small the pet would not even feel it’s there. The microchip is made from a biocompatible substance that does not degenerate or cause any allergic reactions to your pet.

You may be concerned of the amount of money you have to spend on doing this microchip insertion procedure. Different facilities have varying prices for microchipping. The Humane Society offers a free pet microchipping program. If you can’t find one near you, most shelters and veterinarians can do the procedure for only $15 to $50. Even if you have to pay for $50, does your pet’s life compare to this amount? Plus, think of the emotional anguish you and your family will feel if your pet suddenly goes missing and you can’t find him. You can never buy the happiness that your pet can give you. By choosing to microchip your pet you can save you and your family the emotional pain and the trouble of looking for him.