Microchipping your cat or dog is a one-time procedure that will last a lifetime.
The simple and painless process performed at the Hamilton/Burlington SPCA (HBSPCA) can significantly improve your chances of locating your missing pet. According to data from Eidap Inc, pets with microchips are up to 20 times more likely to be reunited with their owners.
“It’s really quick and it lasts forever,” says Michelle Macnab, animal outreach coordinator at the HBSPCA. “The process and procedure are similar to an animal getting vaccinated.”
Microchips are approximately the size of a grain of rice and are inserted beneath the animal’s skin, between its shoulder blades. The process is painless and takes about two minutes at the HBSPCA clinic.
When scanned, the microchip displays a unique identification number and contains contact information for the pet’s owner.
“Vet clinics, shelters, rescues, animal services… most of them have scanners,” Macnab says. “When they scan, they’ll see an identification number linked to someone’s account. The owner of the pet will then get contacted by the microchip service company and they’ll receive information on where they can locate their pet.”
Owners have been reunited with their pets who had been missing for days, weeks, months, and even years thanks to the animals’ microchips.
The HBSPCA offers joint microchip and rabies vaccine appointments that can be completed in less than 10 minutes. Appointments can be booked online at the HBSPCA by visiting hbspca.com/services/pet-health.