One of the most effective means of protecting your dog or cat from being lost or stolen is microchipping them. So many dogs are stolen (Sad truth) or lost (Some-one left the gate open) every year and unfortunately, a large percentage of those lost / stolen pets are never returned to their owner. There could be a number of reasons for the failure to reunite, but top of the list is the inability to identify and contact the owner.

Let’s take a closer look at what a “microchip” is and how the process of microchipping your pet works.

Microchips are tiny computer chips, about the size of a grain of rice. They are implanted under your pet’s skin by a veterinarian using a large bore needle without anesthesia, similar to a simple vaccination.

Each microchip carries a registration number that is associated with the owner’s name and contact information. This information is added to a pet registry service offered by the chip manufacturer.

animal vetcare dog microchip
animal vetcare pet micro chipping

The registry information on the chips can be read using a handheld reader that displays the information so that the owner can be identified. Most shelters and veterinarians have these readers and can scan the pet and contact the owner if the pet is lost.

One limitation is that the readers are not universal, so it’s best to get your pet chipped with a common brand so the likelihood that the chip can be read is increased.

We use Fivestar at VetCare.

Benefits of Microchipping:

FiveStar

FiveStar uses a microchip with RFID. RFID technology is also often used for feeders or controlled doggy door access.

Another one of the uses of microchipping is not having a host of tags around your dogs’ collar.

animal vetcare dog microchip

Reliable electronic identification system for dogs, cats, and other animals:

  • No Admin Fee
  • Affordable
  • Paperless solution
  • There is no need for paper administration as you yourself will capture your data on our online database.
  • KUSA, ERASA, Canine SA, SA Boerperd and DBASA members
  • After you have saved and printed your captured data, you simply click on the marked button and an electronic copy of all the data will be send to either of above mentioned animal societies for their recording purposes. No faxing or posting is required.
  • If you have found a lost animal, simply scan the chip in the animal, enter the microchip number under Pet Found and the data linked to the microchip number will be displayed.
  • SMS service: SMS “lost” followed by the microchip number to 43366 and the owner details will be sent back to the number.
  • Availability
  • The database is available 24 hour a day, seven days a week. Its design is web base and therefore is available worldwide.
  • Cost
  • There is no registration, annual or monthly fee.