Microchips Vs. ID Tags: Dual Protection for Your Pet

Millions of pets go missing in the country every year. Anyone who has lost a pet, even for a few hours, knows how traumatic it can be. As a pet parent, you want to do anything for your pet's safe return. Many turn up, but some are lost forever. Successful pet recovery largely depends on whether the animal has some form of identification.

 

The Importance of Pet Identification 

Finding your lost pet can be difficult if you have to rely on descriptions. If your pet has identification, it can be returned to you much faster. Anyone who finds the lost pet can contact you quickly and easily if there is an ID.

Unfortunately, collars can get lost, making it difficult for anyone coming across the pet to find you. Unlike ID tags, microchips do not fall off and get lost. A microchipped pet can find their way back home even when they go missing hundreds of miles away.

 

Visible Identification

Every pet should have visible identification that can help anyone who finds the pet contact the owner conveniently. A visible ID allows people to know the pet has an owner. Shelter workers and helpful individuals can easily reunite the pet with its owner.

You can get a pet ID tag from any pet store. Choose a durable collar with the pet's pertinent information. A visible ID can have the pet's name, a phone number, and your address. You can also include medical information, allergies, and other essential details on the tag.

 

Getting a Microchip

Getting a microchip is a reliable way to identify your pet. Collars and tags can break or wear away, but a microchip will last forever. The microchip is tiny—about the size of a grain of rice. It contains the owner's contact information, updated as and when necessary. Microchipping is a quick and painless procedure that is safe for the animal. Microchipped animals have a higher likelihood of being found when they go missing.

 

Microchips vs. ID Tags

You can give your pet dual protection with a microchip and ID tag. The benefit of a tag is that it is highly visible, which means anyone who finds the animal can contact you. Unfortunately, there is no way to know if a lost pet has a chip without a scanner.

The downside of ID tags is that they can fall off or get lost, while a chip remains in place. If a lost pet turns up at a shelter or vet's office, they can use a scanner to check if the animal has a microchip. If a pet has both, it increases its chances of being reunited with its owner.

 

Protecting Your New Pet

Get an ID tag for your pet as soon as you adopt them. Remember, you are taking the animal to a new environment, and they do not know their way around. There are many types of tags. You can get them in any color.

Print your address and at least two phone numbers on the tag. Indicating on the tag that your pet has a microchip can be useful information. Your pet should always wear their collar or ID tags unless they are in a kennel.

For more on microchips and ID tags, visit Dr. Mike's Affordable Vet Care at our office in Arlington, Texas. Call (817) 663-8160 to book an appointment today.