is it really worthwhile to microchip a dog? - Page 1

the thread about the missing dogs made me remember my personal anguish when my lab/gsd/husky was taken while i was briefly inside a local business. i left her outside for a few minutes and a jerk who was mad i didn't feel like flirting with him, decided to get back at me by taking my dog. i know who did it because he bragged about it some people i knew. when i discoverd my dog missing, i immediately called the animal shelter, which was closed, and left a detailed message. i heard nothing back. two days later my boyfriend said we should call them. i thought, she must not be there, since she was microchipped, i should have been notified, if not by them, at least by the akc companion animal recovery service that she was registered with under her chip number. my boyfriend decided to call and ask if she was there. they told him, they didn't know, we should come look to see if she was there. he said that my dog was microchipped, didn't they scan the dogs that came in? they said no, they hadn't. then they scanned the dogs matching her description, while he waited on the phone, and said, oh yes, she was there.

i felt pretty miffed. i had to pay boarding fees to get her out even though i explained she was stolen. (the jerk that stole her took her to his house nearby and held onto her until i quit calling for her, then had his wife call 911 claiming my dog was a stray. pound was closed, and police picked her up and she was in there over the weekend).

well my bandit has been gone for over 2 years. i recently mentioned to my vet that the reason i hadn't had spunky chipped was because the shelter did not scan bandit when she was in there years ago, and i figured it was a waste of money. she looked surprised and said, "really? well, they're supposed too. i'm going to call them." she was definitely annoyed. i decided to get fluffy chipped since my boyfriend said he would go half on her expenses, then it wasn't just me wasting money.

i am considering chipping spunky just in case it actually works. not much chance of her getting lost. she is never outside unsupervised and keeps an eagle eye on me when we are out hiking local trails. just in case it works though. i can't predict the future, we could end up getting separated somehow someday.

i would like to hear if anyone has any good stories of microchips helping to reunite dogs with their owners, if there are any. thanx. oh by the way, lesson learned, i never ever leave dogs outside unsupervised anywhere for even a minute. in this town, if you have a nice jacket and take it off outside, someone could walk off with it.

I heard that OFA now requires a microchip and/or DNA, or will be doing so shortly. Anyone know if there is any truth in this? It sure would cut down on the amount of false OFA rating out there.

To the OP: Get your chip, it sure can't hurt.

i have all my dogs chiped and DNA and sometimes tattooed aswell! . tattoos are a visual deterant, microchips are unseen and DNA is 100% reliable proof that the dog is mine.plus as kczaja said the ofa parentage issues etc

i have heard some horific stories over the years and some heart warming ones.

my advice is to chip all your dogs and cats its worth it.

all the best.

Mine are tattooed, micro-chipped, and DNA done.   I hope to never have to find out if the chip works, but I would hope the tattoo would clue a "rescue" person to double check.

 Microchipping reunited an elderly woman I know with the dog she got 2 days before it crawled out of a weakness in her fence, in Washington, DC.  She was frantic, and posted signs all over her neighborhood.  A good samaritan picked the dog up, but took the dog to his home in Maryland.  Fortunately, he took the dog to his vet, who scanned the dog, and the breeder's microchip reunited a frantic owner with her new pet.

Microchipping is good insurance that if your dog is lost, whoever finds it can get in touch with you.  In addition, it's legal proof that the dog belongs to you, and is legal identification of that particular dog.  In my area, microchipping is around $25.00, the cost of lunch.  My shepherd came with the standard tattoo in her  ear, and I had her microchipped.  If anything ever happened to her ear, the microchip is there as backup.

My local service dog organization microchips every puppy that enters their program.

Micky

I use to tat. all my pups, but after working with several different vets in several different areas, and seeing dogs come in with their under bellies (if that tells you how long it's been) burned or scared up, and even a few with ears cut off, I was horrified.  I have heard that, depending on where you live, there are even some animal shelters that are unable to afford scanners.  To date, all my dogs are micro-chipped and I have just recently submitted DNA.  Even my "pet" dogs. 

My dogs have microchip's and so far so good, if not placed correctly it is possible for them to migrate and become difficult to find.   The database homeagain has a fee which isnt a lot but I dont know where else the information would be stored for national access.  I would have to contact Germany to verify the tattoo on my male which would be a hassle for a vet or shelter.     I think the chip is worth the effort.

 I do GSD rescue and I can absolutely tell you that microchips CAN make all the difference in reuniting a lost pet with an owner. At least in my area, virtually every vet and all the shelters have scanners and use them. I do as well. However, the system is only as good as the input. For example, if one moves and does not keep the registry updated as to correct address, phone number etc., even if a scan provides a chip number, so what? Secondly, and this is a STRONG suggestion for all of you who have chipped animals, be CERTAIN to call the registry and double check that all your dogs are indeed properly recorded in the records. I did last year and 4 were not correct, with either incorrect owner, phone numbers or addresses. Further, my record showed I had dogs that I never had possession of!

So do the smart thing. Chip your animals, but also follow up post registration to make sure the information they have recorded is correct. Clearly some people working in these registries get things goofed up.

All our dogs are ear tattooed, but as extra insurance, they are microchipped as well.

On one occasion that we needed to have one scanned, the chip was no-where to be found.

This dog was then re-chipped. On a later occasion, the same dog needed to be scanned again.

This time, they found the second chip where it should be, and also found the first chip down near her elbow.

So there is no guarantee that a chip will reunite you with your lost dog, but for the small cost, it's still worth doing.

KCzaja,

I cannot understand how a dog can obtain an OFA certification without any form of permanent identification.

Surely this system would be open to abuse, so I guess the change you have heard about would be one for the better.

Here in Australia, the dog's registration number and tattoo must be recorded on the x-ray. The Vet must sign a form that states he has verified the dog's ear tattoo before x-raying. When the certificate is issued, these details are also on the certificate. No two dogs have the same tattoo, so this system seems to be a good one.

Julie

OFA required my chip number as I recall.