June is National Microchipping Month

Help to have a happy reunion with your pet!

National Microchipping Month is supported throughout June 2017 with many veterinary centres offering free or discounted microchipping and to help raise awareness of the importance of microchipping. Microchipping your pets is a significant part of taking care of them and will help to ensure that you’re happily reunited with each other if they ever go missing. Having all pets microchipped will also help decrease the number of lost and stray animals that either end up on the street or in animal shelters.

The procedure of microchipping is quick and easy and will feel similar to your pet getting their vaccinations. The chip is approximately the size of a grain of rice, so nothing too scary and this will be inserted between the shoulder blades of your pet then lasting a lifetime. These can’t be removed easily or lost like a collar and tag could and once your pet has been microchipped, his unique code will be linked to the database that will contain all the details of your pet, as well as all of your contact information.

If your pet decides to wonder a bit too far from home and someone does find them, then having them microchipped can help the vet to identify where they need to be returned to and they can ring the given contact telephone number to let you know that your four legged friend has been found safe and sound. You can also alert the microchip database which will send out an automatic alert to local vets and animal wardens in case they have already been found.

For all of the above reasons, this is why it’s important that your contact details are kept up to date and are current. If the information on the database is incorrect then it will pose a problem in trying to track you down.

Remember, that if you’re a dog owner then it is now a legal requirement that your dog is microchipped and all information is correct. Having a dog without a microchip can leave you facing a hefty fine!

If you’re a new pet owner or have a pet that hasn’t yet been microchipped, you can book in with your local vet, however this may come at a small charge. Alternatively, charities and organisations such as The Blue Cross and The Dogs Trust also have centres where they offer this service for free. Having your pet’s microchipped is not only important for their welfare but it will also give you peace of mind.