ID that cannot be tampered with
Unlike tags and collars which can be removed should someone so wish, such as when stealing an animal, microchips are inserted under the skin. They are about the same size as a grain of rice which also makes it difficult to find the exact location of the chip once inserted.
Similarly, there is no way of doctoring a microchip ID. While a pet with a collar or tag could have the personal information on it replaced by a cunning thief, the ID number stored on the microchip refers to a database entry which can only be changed with the chip provider after passing rigorous security checks.
Many owners naturally worry that placing a microchip inside their dog’s body will hurt. In fact, the procedure takes seconds and no anesthetic is required. The chip is injected between the shoulder blades, and your dog won’t feel a thing.
The Benefits of Microchipping Your DogÂ
As previously stated, microchips have no tracking ability. However, they do provide the proper contact information so that almost any veterinarian or shelter will be able to identify and reach their owners. In fact, AKC claims that lost pets who have microchips are up to 20% more likely to be reunited with their humans.Â
Microchipping is compulsory in some states
In most Australian states, microchipping is mandatory for cats and dogs. In New South Wales for example, cats and dogs must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age, or before being sold or given away, whichever happens first. If you’ve attained your pet from a reputable person/breeder/centre, this should mean that your pet is already microchipped. If you fail to have your cat or dog microchipped when required to do so, you may be issued with a fixed penalty notice of up to $5,500.
Microchipping is mandatory for cats and dogs in the Australian Capital Territory, New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria and Western Australia, and for dogs only in Tasmania. However, the legislation only applies to those born after the introduction of the legislation (2012), leaving many thousands of pets unprotected.
Science Behind Your Pet’s Microchip
Every year thousands of cats and dogs go missing, and with more than 25 million pets living in Australian households, these missing pets can be hard to find when they’re not microchipped. All too often pets aren’t returned home, when they could so easily if they are microchipped.