Pets stray from owners more frequently than you might realize, which makes the observance of National Chip Your Pet Month each May a good time to ensure your pet is microchipped and to verify their microchip information is up to date. A microchip is the size of a grain of rice and is implanted just under the skin between the shoulder blades at the back of your pet’s neck. Each chip has a unique number that is detected using a microchip scanner. The number is recorded in a database registry along with details about the animal and contact information for the owner.
Kara Pappas
Shelters and veterinary clinics are equipped with microchip scanners, and utilize information stored within the database to contact owners if stray pets end up in their custody. Animal control officers also commonly carry chip scanners and can reunite pets in the field in many cases – even if they are without a collar and identification tags – provided they have a microchip.
In addition to increasing your chances of being reunited with your pet should you become separated, microchipping also helps protect your pet against theft. Information on the chip identifies you as their rightful owner if they are stolen. Microchips do not take the place of your pet’s ID tags, rabies tag, or license, however. In communities across northern Colorado, these elements are required, and owners could face fines if pets are found not wearing them.
Your veterinarian or Larimer Humane Society can administer microchips and can answer questions about updating microchip information. Microchipping is only as effective as the information contained within the database registry, so if you move or if your contact information changes, add your pet’s microchip update to your to-do list!
Kara Pappas is interim CEO for Larimer Humane Society. Learn more at www. larimerhumane.org.