We hope you had a fun Fourth of July, but some families may not have ended the night as planned. Did you know that the Fourth of July is the most likely day of the year for a pet to get lost? Even the calmest animals can get spooked by the thunderous booming of fireworks, and when an animal gets spooked, their adrenaline can skyrocket and suddenly feats that couldn’t have been imagined before are possible. Dogs and cats clearing fences they shouldn’t be able to, speeding past legs to dart out the door, and breaking through windows, all in hopes of escaping the loud noises.
The Fourth of July may be the most likely day of the year that pets go missing, but it surely isn’t the only day. Any holiday or occasion that celebrates with fireworks, such as New Year’s Eve, weddings or graduations, puts your pet at risk. Even particularly bad thunderstorms can get your pet worked up enough to escape.
There are several ways to help prevent these extreme situations from happening, but no method is 100 percent, so it is important that your pet is microchipped! Having your pet microchipped can help them get back to you should they manage to get loose. If you are not sure whether or not they are already microchipped, you can simply take them to your local vet to get scanned.
If you have yet to get your pet microchipped, it may be because you don’t fully understand how microchips work or how they help. We want to help you overcome any concerns regarding microchipping so that you can help keep your pet safe!
To start, what is a microchip? A microchip is a small implant, no bigger than a grain of rice, that is inserted just under pet’s skin, typically between its shoulder blades. Each microchip holds a unique identification number that is linked to its owner’s contact information. Most animal shelters and veterinarians across the United States have global microchip scanners to read a pet’s microchip – this means that no matter where you pet gets lost, if they can find their way to a shelter or vet, they can be reunited with you!
So you may be thinking, “My pet is incredibly well behaved, there’s no way they would get lost!” We think it’s great that you have so much faith in your pet, but it’s always better to be safe than sorry. According to petfinder.com, only about 22% of lost dogs and 2% of lost cats that entered shelters were reunited with their families, while 52% of microchipped dogs and 38% of microchipped cats were able to be returned to their families.
It’s important that if your pet is microchipped, you make sure that your updated contact information is linked to it. You can update this by calling or going to the website of your pet’s microchip manufacturer. If you do not know your pet’s microchip manufacturer or microchip number, contact your primary vet who may have the information on file. If they do not have the information or you do not have a primary vet, you can stop by your local vet to have you pet scanned, and they can help you identify the manufacturer.
To get your pet microchipped, you can visit our Low-Cost Vaccination Clinic on the 4th Saturday of the month, or you can also add it to your visit if you have your pet altered at our Low-Cost Spay & Neuter Services!
You see, there’s no reason not to microchip you pet and not keep its information updated! There is always a way to help keep your pet safer, so don’t set yourself up for failure, make sure your furry family member can always be reunited with you!