For the July edition of Purr-esidents Press, we are going to talk about the Importance of Microchipping Your Pets. Microchips for your pets can be like a household fire extinguisher. It is better to have it and not need it than need it and not have it. If you are reading this then you love animals just as much as I do and want to do everything you can to help keep them healthy and safe.

Just days before sitting down to write this post our neighbor knocked on our door in the evening and said she had found a cat in the neighborhood. After a few minutes we were able to find and secure him. The next day we took him to the local vet to see if he was chipped. Unfortunately, he was not, so we had to post all over Facebook looking for his family. Thankfully, in this story, we were able to find his family quickly through a post on the NextDoor App and reunite him with his loved ones. Sadly though, not all of these stories turn out with quick and happy endings. According to Petfinder, “the American Humane Association estimates over 10 million dogs and cats are lost or stolen in the U.S. every year” and that “one in three pets will become lost at some point during their life”. Based on those statistics why wouldn’t a pet owner chip their cat or dog? “It’s too expensive to chip a pet”. Microchips for pets often run around $10 to $15 dollars and some come with a lifetime subscription. “My pet knows their way home, I’m not worried”.

Fear and confusion can often lead any animal into the wrong direction and they can easily become lost or turned around. The point is, that it is too easy to give your pet a microchip and guarantee the peace of mind that if your pet does get out and lost, that if they are found they can be easily identified and returned to you. In closing, around December we had an amazing testimonial from a woman who lost her dog and had it returned after 7 years, because, you guessed it, a microchip. It’s amazing how something the size of a grain of rice can be the difference between a heartbreaking or happy ending.

–Alexander Wright

Vice President |AZ Center for Animal Rescue & Education |AZ CARE