micro-chipping your animals
#16
FlyerTalk Evangelist
Join Date: Sep 2000
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I also have a HomeAgain chip placed in Angel. For most dogs the procedure is painless as she didn't even react when it was done and I highly recommend that everyone give their pets an ID chip.
The advice given by jennj99738 is extremely important as many people totally forget to update their pet's information when they move.
#17
Join Date: Apr 2006
Location: PHX
Programs: US,HH
Posts: 636
I foster abandoned or strays until we can find either the parents or get them adopted. Tags and chips are a must! It's amazing how many pet owners don't chip or tag their pets.
The head of our foster group just brings over her scanner whenever I get a new foster dog in. In all instances when the dog was chipped or had tags we were able to get them back to their owners.
The couple of abandoned ones I've fostered had no chips or tags and the owners were never found. This includes the two puppies that were thrown from a moving vehicle.
If you are having someone watch your pets when you are out of town have a new tag made that has their phone number on it in case they get loose.
The head of our foster group just brings over her scanner whenever I get a new foster dog in. In all instances when the dog was chipped or had tags we were able to get them back to their owners.
The couple of abandoned ones I've fostered had no chips or tags and the owners were never found. This includes the two puppies that were thrown from a moving vehicle.
If you are having someone watch your pets when you are out of town have a new tag made that has their phone number on it in case they get loose.
#18
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Join Date: Jan 2002
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I live in an area where often dogs and cats are dumped and left to be on their own. We have many wild cats around. Survival of the fittest. The former pets have a very rough time. One of my neighbors makes every attempt to catch the strays and have the checked for micro chips.
Why do some people feel that dumping pets is better than taking them to a shelter?
My dogs are chipped and we keep their tags up to date. Three times this years I've found dog collars minus the pets! Fat lot of good that does for the pet.
Why do some people feel that dumping pets is better than taking them to a shelter?
My dogs are chipped and we keep their tags up to date. Three times this years I've found dog collars minus the pets! Fat lot of good that does for the pet.
#19
Join Date: Aug 2000
Location: Seattle, WA
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#20
Commander Catcop
Join Date: May 1998
Posts: 10,259
Eddie is microchipped as well and I highly recommend this to any PET PARENT>
I have urged my clients to get their Cats microchipped. Many of them travel at least several times a year or a month!
kellio33... I never thought of adding the pet sitter name and phone (like me ) to the tag. Will put it in my next CatsUp newsletter.
I have urged my clients to get their Cats microchipped. Many of them travel at least several times a year or a month!
kellio33... I never thought of adding the pet sitter name and phone (like me ) to the tag. Will put it in my next CatsUp newsletter.
#21
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Join Date: Jun 2004
Location: Either at the shooting range or anywhere good beer can be found...
Posts: 50,968
Our two cats are microchipped because we adopted them and the shelter requires all adopted animals to be chipped. Our two dogs will be microchipped within the next couple of weeks because, as of 2 years ago, our city will not issue dog licenses without a chip. The chips used in this area are HomeAgain.
BTW, for those of you using HomeAgain, you can get the first year for free with promotion code HOL07. It still works as of a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, it's not good for renewals... If anyone knows of a promo for free renewal, please post.
BTW, for those of you using HomeAgain, you can get the first year for free with promotion code HOL07. It still works as of a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, it's not good for renewals... If anyone knows of a promo for free renewal, please post.
I also have a HomeAgain chip placed in Angel. For most dogs the procedure is painless as she didn't even react when it was done and I highly recommend that everyone give their pets an ID chip.
The advice given by jennj99738 is extremely important as many people totally forget to update their pet's information when they move.
The advice given by jennj99738 is extremely important as many people totally forget to update their pet's information when they move.
I like that idea! In our case, my parents usually dog sit, and since they'd be the contact if we couldn't be reached, that makes a lot of sense for us! Thanks!
#22
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,449
...
So, everyone should make sure that the shelter is the first place you visit if your pet gets out--and make sure you go there personally everyday. Do not rely on the staff to be able to tell you if your pet is at the shelter. They're too overworked even though it should be part of their job....
So, everyone should make sure that the shelter is the first place you visit if your pet gets out--and make sure you go there personally everyday. Do not rely on the staff to be able to tell you if your pet is at the shelter. They're too overworked even though it should be part of their job....
Our two cats are microchipped because we adopted them and the shelter requires all adopted animals to be chipped. Our two dogs will be microchipped within the next couple of weeks because, as of 2 years ago, our city will not issue dog licenses without a chip. The chips used in this area are HomeAgain.
BTW, for those of you using HomeAgain, you can get the first year for free with promotion code HOL07. It still works as of a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, it's not good for renewals... If anyone knows of a promo for free renewal, please post.
BTW, for those of you using HomeAgain, you can get the first year for free with promotion code HOL07. It still works as of a couple of weeks ago. Unfortunately, it's not good for renewals... If anyone knows of a promo for free renewal, please post.
The shelter where I got my cats has itself permanently listed on the chip record as a contact, so that is also a fallback of sorts. In their last newsletter there was a story of a pet that was lost when movers left a door open while packing the truck. Despite searching then and several returns to the area to search, the pet was gone. More than a year later the shelter got a call from a vet with the pet. They took custody of the pet and via google was able to track down the owner who was in a different part of the country by that point, and who promptly and happily reclaimed the pet. If your pet came from a shelter or breeder, it would be good to know if there were such a permanent record for your pet, as that would be another place to contact if the pet were ever lost.
#23
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Join Date: Jun 2004
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Here's another story about why microchipping your pets is important. This dog was returned to his owners after he'd been missing for over five years.
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08330/930562-51.stm
http://www.post-gazette.com/pg/08330/930562-51.stm
#24
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,449
...
My little ones came microchipped from the shelter, too, and from what the shelter staff told me, the HomeAgain renewals are not strictly necessary. My understanding is that some of the special services will not be available if membership is not maintained, BUT the data on the animal will be retained so they could still be traced if the chip were read at a vet's office or shelter. I'm not sure if address updates would be viable or not. That would be important to know if you moved. ...
My little ones came microchipped from the shelter, too, and from what the shelter staff told me, the HomeAgain renewals are not strictly necessary. My understanding is that some of the special services will not be available if membership is not maintained, BUT the data on the animal will be retained so they could still be traced if the chip were read at a vet's office or shelter. I'm not sure if address updates would be viable or not. That would be important to know if you moved. ...
"As an existing HomeAgain client you are entitled to our basic recovery service for life. None of the new services (proactive recovery, emergency service, online health information) will be available to you unless you enroll with the new HomeAgain. There is an annual enrollment fee of $14.99."
#25
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Join Date: Jun 2004
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I'm confirming what I said above about renewal for Home Again not being strictly necessary in order to retain the basic id service. This thread reminded me to update my kitties profiles and while there, I checked and found this from the Home Again website:
"As an existing HomeAgain client you are entitled to our basic recovery service for life. None of the new services (proactive recovery, emergency service, online health information) will be available to you unless you enroll with the new HomeAgain. There is an annual enrollment fee of $14.99."
"As an existing HomeAgain client you are entitled to our basic recovery service for life. None of the new services (proactive recovery, emergency service, online health information) will be available to you unless you enroll with the new HomeAgain. There is an annual enrollment fee of $14.99."
#26
Join Date: Jan 2004
Location: Pennsylvania
Posts: 8,142
Out 3 cats Frank, Dolly, and Lily, are all micro-chipped using Home Again. Never had any problems with the chips. Frank got lost once for a week but, as it turns out, he was in a neighbor's basement while they were away. He sneaked out of our house and into their basement the day they were leaving. I can see why they say curiosity killed the cat.
Bobette
Bobette
#27
Moderator: American AAdvantage
Join Date: May 2000
Location: NorCal - SMF area
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We had two rescued huskies, and in this instance, microchips would not have helped.
The kennel owner's husband drank too much, it appears, and left the kennels unsecured one dark and stormy night we were on vacation. (Apologies to Bulwer-Lytton fans!) They got loose and ran - one was found by some wonderful folks who owned a storage facility - they lured Shawna into a unit, kept her fed and watered and left messages on our answering machine.
Some idiot found our sweet Tanya running on a country road and shot her.
OTOH, we have had all our dogs chipped since that became an option Shawna and Tanya were tattooed,) and after that, we have our veterinarian's telephone number on the collar tag and for contact information (with her permission, of course.) We may be on the road, but our veterinarian's office will be open (except Sundays,) knows our dogs and has our contact information.
The kennel owner's husband drank too much, it appears, and left the kennels unsecured one dark and stormy night we were on vacation. (Apologies to Bulwer-Lytton fans!) They got loose and ran - one was found by some wonderful folks who owned a storage facility - they lured Shawna into a unit, kept her fed and watered and left messages on our answering machine.
Some idiot found our sweet Tanya running on a country road and shot her.
OTOH, we have had all our dogs chipped since that became an option Shawna and Tanya were tattooed,) and after that, we have our veterinarian's telephone number on the collar tag and for contact information (with her permission, of course.) We may be on the road, but our veterinarian's office will be open (except Sundays,) knows our dogs and has our contact information.
I can understand getting her micro-chipped. Since Cobaka is part husky, she likes running, so while we're careful to not let her off leash, I fear that if she did get off leash she might take off running. With me, she'll stop immediately, and drop to the ground when I call her, but I worry if she'd do that with my father, when he's watching her, or our friends who dog sit for us.
#28
Join Date: Nov 2004
Posts: 1,449
We had two rescued huskies, and in this instance, microchips would not have helped.
The kennel owner's husband drank too much, it appears, and left the kennels unsecured one dark and stormy night we were on vacation. (Apologies to Bulwer-Lytton fans!) They got loose and ran - one was found by some wonderful folks who owned a storage facility - they lured Shawna into a unit, kept her fed and watered and left messages on our answering machine.
Some idiot found our sweet Tanya running on a country road and shot her.
The kennel owner's husband drank too much, it appears, and left the kennels unsecured one dark and stormy night we were on vacation. (Apologies to Bulwer-Lytton fans!) They got loose and ran - one was found by some wonderful folks who owned a storage facility - they lured Shawna into a unit, kept her fed and watered and left messages on our answering machine.
Some idiot found our sweet Tanya running on a country road and shot her.
#29
Join Date: Sep 2008
Location: King George, VA
Posts: 113
#30
Join Date: Dec 2006
Posts: 40
My German Shepherd Dog has two microchips. He has one that he got six years ago and isn't an ISO standard chip, and another ISO standard one he got when he was microchipped and tittered for easier access to Asia, the EU, the Caribbean, and the UK. Maybe as a result of the extra circuitry, he's set off metal detectors a couple times that were turned up a bit too high. No worries though, as he enjoys a good TSA pat down.