Top tips from the Pet Experts at Rainsbrook Vets

Should I Microchip my Pet?

Microchipping is hot news with Northern Ireland making it compulsary for all puppies and new dogs to be microchipped. The fundamental reason for this is to aid in the battle against dangerous and banned dogs. There is some uproar from various sectors of the public saying that this will punish good dog owners because the people government are trying to target will flount against this legislation as they flount against keeping a banned breed in the first place, and using their dogs in a dangerous manner. They also question how it would be policed? Is this just further hoops for dog owners to jump through for no particular benefit?

Personally, I think all dog owners should choose to have their dogs microchipped as a matter of course. We often have stray dogs brought into the surgery, and within a few minutes with the help of the microchip, we have contacted the owners who then arrive and are reunited with their wayward pet - no fuss, simple. All dogs should, by law, be wearing visiable identification at all times. The information on the collar should provide the owner's name, the first line of their address and a contact number. The first line of address is important, rather than just putting on a post code, because the idea is that a member of the public could return that dog straight to where it came from. Many dog owners haven't got visible identification, for one reason or another, and it is these people who should seriously think about having a microchip implanted.

The chip is only about the size of a grain of rice. It is activated when scanned by a microchip scanner and emits a 15 digit unique number. It is implanted into the scruff of your pets neck, no anaesthesia is required, and only takes seconds to complete! If your dog strays and is picked up by the Dog Warden or a charity or taken to a vet, they are automatically scanned. If a microchip is present, a simple phone call is placed to a central database, such as Kennel Club Alliliated Petlog, where the owner's details are securely kept. A second phone call later, dog and owner are reunited. Simple.

I follow the local Dog Warden on Facebook, and every day she has at least 2 dogs that are found straying without any identification. The Dog Warden has to rely on owners to come forward, and sadly sometimes this doesn't happen.

Microchipping is very useful for cats. A lot of cat owners do not like collars and/or the cat will remove the collar as soon as it is put on. If the cat gets mistaken for a stray, or is injured and taken to a vets, they are again, automiatically scanned, and a phone call to the owner can be made. Yes, sometimes that phonecall is informing an owner that their beloved cat was unfortunately killed after being hit by a car, but at the least the owner knows. Ask any cat owner, and their worst fear is not knowing what happened to their feline friend if they go missing. At least by knowing they can grieve and have a sense of closure. 

Microchips are only as good as the information stored on the central database. Moving home, ownership changes, new phone numbers should be reported to your microchip manufacturer. Some manufacturers will charge an administration fee to impliment changes, and others will do unlimited changes free of charge for the life of the pet - it is this ability which is generally the reason why the cost of microchipping is so varied. Some will have this ability from the onset and some may offer an 'upgrade' at a price to allow for unlimited alterations. This option can be taken up, or not, entirely up to the owner. At Rainsbrook Vets in Rugby, our microchipping is only £15.50 including VAT. If an owner knows they are going to be moving around alot or would like the additional freedom to change the database details as often as they would like, for £14.95, they can do this. The choice is theirs.

Microchipping is a useful tool for all pet owners out there. Please consider having it done.

Side Note: There are microchip scanner catflaps available on the market. These are super-secure catflaps which will only allow cats in who have had their microchip programmed into it. Sureflap is a popular make, it is very simple to program, and you can have up to 32 cats! I swear by my Sureflap, it is one of the best things I have ever bought! And my cats are happier, no more neighbour's cats coming in to nick their food!

For more information on microchipping your pet call: 01788 542221 and make an appointment!