Why Microchipping Your Dog or Cat is Not Enough
Of the over 10 million pets that are reported lost every year, only 1 out of 5 dogs and a staggering 1 out of 50 cats finds their way home.
In a perfect world, microchipping your pet would be enough. If your dog or cat was lost, the finder would know a microchip was present and quickly take your dog or cat to a technician, who would have the scanner that matches your pet's microchip system. The chip would be easy to find, facing the right direction, and would scan properly. Your contact information would be current and you would be reachable.
We do not, however, live in a perfect world. Microchipping has its shortcomings:
- There are several different microchip manufacturers, all of which require their own scanning devices or a universal scanning device. While universal scanners are becoming more common, not all shelters and vet offices have them.
- Microchips can only be read by a professional who has one of these devices.
- A microchip can move around under an animal's skin and even flip over, making it difficult to find and scan.
- The finder of your dog or cat may not know your pet is chipped and/or may not have the means to take your dog or cat in for scanning.
- In the case of a natural disaster, shelters and vet offices may not be open so scanners will not be accessible.
Microchipping is a great last line of defense should you and your pet become separated, but it is not a perfect system.
That's why Dogster and Catster has created the Together Tag service. Behind our stylish, reflective tag is a service that provides shelter and community alerts if your dog or cat goes missing and the ability to add secondary and out-of-area contact information at any time, all for a low one-time fee that covers the lifetime of your pet.
Together Tag is a great stand-alone solution, or the perfect complement to your existing microchip. We strongly recommend both!
Learn more in our Information Center
