It doesn't seem like much, but $10 can really mean the life or death for a pet. How so? Imagine your pet finds itself in the grasps of a local animal control facility. They have 3 to 7 days, sometimes more, most times less, for you to reclaim them. But how do you know they are there? If your pet has a microchip, animal control workers will scan your pet, get the id number, and give you a call to reunite the two of you.
So where does the $10 come in to play? Many vets charge between $30 to $60 for your pet to be microchipped. If you have multiple pets, this can be a huge expense. So we started offering low-cost clinics three years ago using the 24PetWatch program. So for just $10, you can have piece of mind that your pet will be reunited with you rather than counted among the millions of homeless pets euthanized each year.
Yesterday, we held a low-cost microchip clinic at Tybee Island's Memorial Park (thanks to Tybee City Council for their help). Pet owners brough 103 pets to us, 83 dogs and 20 cats. We never got to sit down, and Dr. Charra and Anne of All About Pets Mobile Vet even stayed late to get everyone chipped. But most astounding was that the pets were not all from Tybee; in fact, only 28 were. The rest came from much farther away: Midway, Guyton, Bluffton, Hilton Head Island, Pooler, Springfield, Bloomingdale, Richmond Hill, Garden City, Collins, and Savannah. It really brought home that what we are doing makes a huge difference for these pets, so much so that we are going to add more clinics this summer instead of just one a quarter. We just have to find more businesses to allow us the space, and a few more vet techs to give up their time.
Showing posts with label microchipping. Show all posts
Showing posts with label microchipping. Show all posts
Sunday, April 15, 2007
Sunday, April 8, 2007
What is a Microchip?
Coastal Pet Rescue will hold another low-cost microchip clinic this coming Saturday, 1 to 4 pm, at Memorial Park on Tybee Island. We've had some questions recently regarding the clinic, so I decided to make a post that will hopefully answer them and encourage people to bring their pets.
How big is the microchip?
The chip itself is only the size of a grain of rice. The needle, therefore, is larger than the standard needle they would get with their annual shots.
Does it hurt them?
It pinches. Most of them react to the pressure they feel from the insertion of the chip. It is very quick, and we do use Lidocaine gel to numb the skin as much as possible. Some dogs will act as if nothing is going on; others will show you just how great their drama skills can be.
Where do you put the chip?
The chip is inserted between the shoulder blades just underneathe the skin.
Does it GPS them, so you can see where they are?
No, this isn't Lojack. The chip is essentially a bar code, much like what you see on products you purchase when grocery shopping. The scanners read the chips like the scanners at the grocery check outs. So someone must find the pet and take it somewhere to have it scanned for a chip. Coastal Pet Rescue maintains three scanners and has gone numerous times to scan found pets. Only once has a chip been found, but it was never registered correctly.
What information does it carry?
The chip itself does not carry any information other than the barcode. An ID number displays when the chip is scanned by a microchip reader. The person scanning calls a registry database with the ID number to get the owner's information (there are several registries: HomeAgain, AVID, 24PetWatch, PetLink). The owner is then called to reunite with their pet.
How do I register my information?
Coastal Pet Rescue submits registration forms from its clinics directly to 24PetWatch. The information on the form includes the owner's name, address, three phone numbers, the pet's name, date of birth, breed, age, sex, neutered status, date of last rabies vaccination, special medical needs, veterinarian's information, and an alternate emergency contact name and number. At the time your pet is microchipped at our clinic, you will receive a tear sheet with information and 24PetWatch's website. You have the option to register your pet that same day online or by phone for free. Once your pet is registered, you may use 24PetWatch's online tools, such as uploading a photo or adding additional information.
What do I do if I move or change my number?
24PetWatch does not charge you to change your information. This is the only way a microchip will truely work for your pet. When you have a change, you may login online and update it yourself or call their 800 number.
Why does Coastal Pet Rescue charge on $10 for this service?
We started doing the microchip clinics over three years ago because we found people were not doing them through their vets, mainly because of the cost. 24PetWatch is a program designed for shelters and rescues to make microchipping pets affordable and keep them from euthanasia. We do the clinics as a public service; this is not a fundraiser.
My pet never goes out of the house, so why should I do this?
Maybe your pet always lives indoors, but what happens in the event you have a sitter or friend that accidentally lets the pet out? Or how about if we have to do a hurricane evacuation again and your pet gets away? The microchip provides a permanent identification that will help your pet to be reunited with you, even if it travels thousands of miles away from home.
How big is the microchip?
The chip itself is only the size of a grain of rice. The needle, therefore, is larger than the standard needle they would get with their annual shots.
Does it hurt them?
It pinches. Most of them react to the pressure they feel from the insertion of the chip. It is very quick, and we do use Lidocaine gel to numb the skin as much as possible. Some dogs will act as if nothing is going on; others will show you just how great their drama skills can be.
Where do you put the chip?
The chip is inserted between the shoulder blades just underneathe the skin.
Does it GPS them, so you can see where they are?
No, this isn't Lojack. The chip is essentially a bar code, much like what you see on products you purchase when grocery shopping. The scanners read the chips like the scanners at the grocery check outs. So someone must find the pet and take it somewhere to have it scanned for a chip. Coastal Pet Rescue maintains three scanners and has gone numerous times to scan found pets. Only once has a chip been found, but it was never registered correctly.
What information does it carry?
The chip itself does not carry any information other than the barcode. An ID number displays when the chip is scanned by a microchip reader. The person scanning calls a registry database with the ID number to get the owner's information (there are several registries: HomeAgain, AVID, 24PetWatch, PetLink). The owner is then called to reunite with their pet.
How do I register my information?
Coastal Pet Rescue submits registration forms from its clinics directly to 24PetWatch. The information on the form includes the owner's name, address, three phone numbers, the pet's name, date of birth, breed, age, sex, neutered status, date of last rabies vaccination, special medical needs, veterinarian's information, and an alternate emergency contact name and number. At the time your pet is microchipped at our clinic, you will receive a tear sheet with information and 24PetWatch's website. You have the option to register your pet that same day online or by phone for free. Once your pet is registered, you may use 24PetWatch's online tools, such as uploading a photo or adding additional information.
What do I do if I move or change my number?
24PetWatch does not charge you to change your information. This is the only way a microchip will truely work for your pet. When you have a change, you may login online and update it yourself or call their 800 number.
Why does Coastal Pet Rescue charge on $10 for this service?
We started doing the microchip clinics over three years ago because we found people were not doing them through their vets, mainly because of the cost. 24PetWatch is a program designed for shelters and rescues to make microchipping pets affordable and keep them from euthanasia. We do the clinics as a public service; this is not a fundraiser.
My pet never goes out of the house, so why should I do this?
Maybe your pet always lives indoors, but what happens in the event you have a sitter or friend that accidentally lets the pet out? Or how about if we have to do a hurricane evacuation again and your pet gets away? The microchip provides a permanent identification that will help your pet to be reunited with you, even if it travels thousands of miles away from home.
Wednesday, March 7, 2007
Microchips: Use as Directed
A few weeks ago, Savannah Toyota hosted a microchip clinic for us, whereby we chipped 73 pets. I've been an avid supporter of chipping for recovery, but also to eliminate needless deaths in animal shelters.
This week at the shelter, I was given the task of contacting the owner of a Rottweiler that had a HomeAgain microchip. I was given seven numbers to call; four were disconnected, two never returned the calls, and the other claimed he didn't own a "damn dog" and slammed the phone down. But at least we got to know his name. Thor is a big sweet baby boy. He loves women; he's a sucker for a belly rub and a good scratch behind his ears. The shelter supervisor and I have been plugging away to find a good home for him. He deserves as much.
It's just amazing that people would pay for permanent identification, but not understand that it only works as long as they keep their information current. Since Thor had ID, the shelter is giving him ten days instead of five, so that's good news for him. And, essentially, good news for me since I have a buddy to play with when the tough stuff hits.
This week at the shelter, I was given the task of contacting the owner of a Rottweiler that had a HomeAgain microchip. I was given seven numbers to call; four were disconnected, two never returned the calls, and the other claimed he didn't own a "damn dog" and slammed the phone down. But at least we got to know his name. Thor is a big sweet baby boy. He loves women; he's a sucker for a belly rub and a good scratch behind his ears. The shelter supervisor and I have been plugging away to find a good home for him. He deserves as much.
It's just amazing that people would pay for permanent identification, but not understand that it only works as long as they keep their information current. Since Thor had ID, the shelter is giving him ten days instead of five, so that's good news for him. And, essentially, good news for me since I have a buddy to play with when the tough stuff hits.
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