Microchipping

When you’re a pup parent, your dog’s health and safety is your utmost priority. While you can’t prevent everything that may cause your pooch harm, there is a simple solution that can help bring your furry friend home if they ever went missing. 

As reported by the American Animal Hospital, millions of households lose their pets “every year,” with most never being reunited. Another heartbreaking statistic is that approximately 33 percent of “pets become lost at some point during [their] lifetime.”

To ensure that there is less possibility of this happening to your dog, consider getting them microchipped. The process is relatively simple. Essentially, a microchip, which is about “[t]he size of a grain of rice,” is implanted in your dog. 

According to the American Kennel Club, the device holds your pup’s medical information and “your contact information.” A universal scanner can decipher said information. The AKC notes that for the microchip to be effective, you must “register it with a national pet recovery database.” Furry friends who are microchipped and properly registered “are up to 20 times more likely to be reunited with their owners.” 

While microchipping your dog is extremely beneficial, some pup parents may be hesitant to do so for numerous reasons. For example, you may be concerned that the injection of the microchip will hurt your canine companion. 

While speaking to Fetch by WebMD, Dr. Louise Murray, who is the director of medicine for the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital, asserted that microchipping is relatively painless. 

“It hurts about as much as having blood drawn. It’s a large needle. There’s a pinch. A lot of people have it done when their pets are being spayed or neutered for that reason. But I’ve seen a lot of animals not even flinch when it happens,” explained the veterinarian. 

She also assured pet owners who may be concerned about the cost that microchipping has a price point of about $50. It also only needs to be done once, and your pup will be good for the rest of his life. 

Have you gotten your dog microchipped? Let us know in the comments below!