Comments on: Should I microchip my pet? http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/ Pet care articles on health care, grooming, moving, training, and other topics related to pets and people living together in harmony. Fri, 16 May 2008 14:07:38 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.3.2 By: Woodlandtrails http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-5278 Woodlandtrails Wed, 21 Nov 2007 20:42:10 +0000 http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-5278 Go with Home Again NOT AVID. I have 7 pets with AVID and am going with Home Again now. A last reason is AVID CHARGES pet owners to change their addresses and Home Again does not. I was military for 26 years and AVID really ticked me off doing this. Go with Home Again NOT AVID. I have 7 pets with AVID and am going with Home Again now. A last reason is AVID CHARGES pet owners to change their addresses and Home Again does not. I was military for 26 years and AVID really ticked me off doing this.

]]> By: sidhfaerie http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-4553 sidhfaerie Sun, 09 Sep 2007 02:01:21 +0000 http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-4553 http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/08/AR2007090800997_pf.html read this article before considering chipping your pet. i had my cats done a while back as a requirement on a military installation (and i never ended up on one, anyway). i regret it now. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2007/09/08/AR2007090800997_pf.html

read this article before considering chipping your pet. i had my cats done a while back as a requirement on a military installation (and i never ended up on one, anyway). i regret it now.

]]> By: pldoolittle http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-391 pldoolittle Thu, 30 Nov 2006 11:37:01 +0000 http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-391 I am very pleased to report that The American Microchip Advisory Council for Animals (AMACA) has announced plans to build a national database of all the pet microchips in the USA. Once established, lost pets with microchips can be reported to AMACA directly. AMACA will identify the manufacturer and provide the toll-free number for that manufacturer. This will allow veterinarians, shelters, and rescues to easily identify any microchip. Visit AMACA at: http://www.amacausa.org/ I am very pleased to report that The American Microchip Advisory Council for Animals (AMACA) has announced plans to build a national database of all the pet microchips in the USA.

Once established, lost pets with microchips can be reported to AMACA directly. AMACA will identify the manufacturer and provide the toll-free number for that manufacturer. This will allow veterinarians, shelters, and rescues to easily identify any microchip.

Visit AMACA at: http://www.amacausa.org/

]]> By: Dr Tracy Dewhrist http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-390 Dr Tracy Dewhrist Wed, 29 Nov 2006 22:09:21 +0000 http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-390 I have been a practicing veterinarian for years and now host a call in talk radio show Ask the Vet Radio. I get lots of questions about lost pets and, in fact, did an entire show on lost pets. If you are interested in hearing that segment or others you can go to www.askthevetradio.com and listen to archieved shows. As for the comments on the blog, I need to clear up a few things. Veterinarians, first and formost, are in their proffession because they care about the animals. Most veterinarians scan all new animals, including puppies and kittens, if for no other reason than to make sure the animal does not get a second microchip. I personally have never met someone who would not return a microchipped animal to their owner; but if I did I would contact that animals owner myself. I would not advocate a product that helps an owner to locate their loved one and then not participate in the process. I would not slough off a situation with "oh, at least that animal has home, let's move on", I take my role as an animal caregiver seriously. There are no laws to require scanning, in fact there are few laws that protect animals from abuse, so the responsibilty falls on the pet owner. Protecting pets from becoming lost is a multi-tiered process, much like disaster planning. There is no "silver bullet" to insure their return, not even a microchip. What I tell pet owners is do everything possible to insure a return; this includes identification tags, tatoos, microchip, and GPS. And I would do them all if you can afford it. There are cost effective and small GPS collars (Global Pet Finder) that work by calling your cell phone the moment the pet leaves a defined area. It continues calling every 3 minutes with a location, even if they are inside. These GPS systems also work well when traveling, and they are affordable, under $300.00. Tatooing is easy and permanent. If an animal comes in to a veterinary clinic with a tatoo, that animal will be investigated. Tatoos are visible, no scanning. For every lost pet there is a heartbroken person who awaits their return, please know that your veterinarians never forget that. I have been a practicing veterinarian for years and now host a call in talk radio show Ask the Vet Radio. I get lots of questions about lost pets and, in fact, did an entire show on lost pets. If you are interested in hearing that segment or others you can go to http://www.askthevetradio.com and listen to archieved shows.
As for the comments on the blog, I need to clear up a few things.
Veterinarians, first and formost, are in their proffession because they care about the animals. Most veterinarians scan all new animals, including puppies and kittens, if for no other reason than to make sure the animal does not get a second microchip. I personally have never met someone who would not return a microchipped animal to their owner; but if I did I would contact that animals owner myself. I would not advocate a product that helps an owner to locate their loved one and then not participate in the process. I would not slough off a situation with “oh, at least that animal has home, let’s move on”, I take my role as an animal caregiver seriously.
There are no laws to require scanning, in fact there are few laws that protect animals from abuse, so the responsibilty falls on the pet owner.
Protecting pets from becoming lost is a multi-tiered process, much like disaster planning. There is no “silver bullet” to insure their return, not even a microchip.
What I tell pet owners is do everything possible to insure a return; this includes identification tags, tatoos, microchip, and GPS. And I would do them all if you can afford it.
There are cost effective and small GPS collars (Global Pet Finder) that work by calling your cell phone the moment the pet leaves a defined area. It continues calling every 3 minutes with a location, even if they are inside. These GPS systems also work well when traveling, and they are affordable, under $300.00.
Tatooing is easy and permanent. If an animal comes in to a veterinary clinic with a tatoo, that animal will be investigated. Tatoos are visible, no scanning.
For every lost pet there is a heartbroken person who awaits their return, please know that your veterinarians never forget that.

]]> By: KellyM http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-388 KellyM Tue, 28 Nov 2006 16:05:38 +0000 http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-388 So you mean there will be a solution, its just years down the road. R & D, and a few million dollars. If I had any dollars, I'd working on it, oh, and any knowhow in micro technology. Meanwhile, in this century, the solution seems to be to get everyone working on the same page, communicating. Now that will be almost as tough as getting the millions of dollars. The microchips are a community commitment. If a vet recommends, sells and implants them, they (ethically) need to scan pets who do not have a history at their clinic, and/or when their own inner radar goes off about a pet. Microchip companies, and the vet assocations may need to send out bulletins to vets about missing/lost/stolen pets, as some vets will not scan without a recent notice. Most important, and this is where there seems to be major problems, is everyone needs to know what to do when a pet is scanned and a discrepency is found. The person who brought the pet in, isn't the registered owner and the pet is listed as lost/stolen. Vets seems to be lost as what to do next. Honestly I'm not surprized. The information I've been given is vague at best. They can notify the microchip company, then what? They aren't told to keep the pet, or to turn it over to a higher authority (I mean animal control or OPP, not GOD). So the pet often goes back with however brought it in. If and when the real owner is notified, they have to find a way to retrieve their pet. The real owner may have to sue to get their loved one back. Oh, and apparently the microchip is not always proof of ownership. Isn't that wonderful. All the R & D work doesn't seem so hard now, does it? So you mean there will be a solution, its just years down the road. R & D, and a few million dollars. If I had any dollars, I’d working on it, oh, and any knowhow in micro technology.

Meanwhile, in this century, the solution seems to be to get everyone working on the same page, communicating. Now that will be almost as tough as getting the millions of dollars. The microchips are a community commitment. If a vet recommends, sells and implants them, they (ethically) need to scan pets who do not have a history at their clinic, and/or when their own inner radar goes off about a pet. Microchip companies, and the vet assocations may need to send out bulletins to vets about missing/lost/stolen pets, as some vets will not scan without a recent notice. Most important, and this is where there seems to be major problems, is everyone needs to know what to do when a pet is scanned and a discrepency is found. The person who brought the pet in, isn’t the registered owner and the pet is listed as lost/stolen. Vets seems to be lost as what to do next.

Honestly I’m not surprized. The information I’ve been given is vague at best. They can notify the microchip company, then what? They aren’t told to keep the pet, or to turn it over to a higher authority (I mean animal control or OPP, not GOD). So the pet often goes back with however brought it in. If and when the real owner is notified, they have to find a way to retrieve their pet. The real owner may have to sue to get their loved one back. Oh, and apparently the microchip is not always proof of ownership. Isn’t that wonderful.

All the R & D work doesn’t seem so hard now, does it?

]]> By: pldoolittle http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-386 pldoolittle Tue, 28 Nov 2006 02:53:57 +0000 http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-386 > I guess research and development is needed for a > suitable GPS chip for pets. The problem is simply one of power and size. A microchip is so small because it has no power source and obtains it's power from the scanner. Also, a microchip need only transmit a very small unique identifier string. A GPS locator must contain complete receive and transmit circuits, along with a processor to decode the GPS satellite signals into coordinates for re-broadcast back to a satellite. In short, the smallest cell phone you can think of is about as good as it gets for size AND battery life. And they are priced about $1200 USD. If those are not issues for you, google this: "animal tracking via GPS" Philip > I guess research and development is needed for a
> suitable GPS chip for pets.

The problem is simply one of power and size. A microchip is so small because it has no power source and obtains it’s power from the scanner. Also, a microchip need only transmit a very small unique identifier string. A GPS locator must contain complete receive and transmit circuits, along with a processor to decode the GPS satellite signals into coordinates for re-broadcast back to a satellite.

In short, the smallest cell phone you can think of is about as good as it gets for size AND battery life. And they are priced about $1200 USD. If those are not issues for you, google this: “animal tracking via GPS”

Philip

]]> By: pldoolittle http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-382 pldoolittle Mon, 27 Nov 2006 18:41:02 +0000 http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-382 Excellent comments. Vets are unlikely to scan any animal unless they have no one claiming it. It is partly about liability, and partly because there are so many homeless animals that any animal with a home is a blessig to them. Hence, stolen pets are very unlikely to be scanned. Lost pets (at least here in the US) are a different story as all government operated animal shelters are supposed to be equipped and scanning every animal. As for suing, that wouldn't happen in my case. I'd probably just drive over and inform them that I was taking my animal back with me now. I'd also make it quite clear that I would do so over their dead body should it be neccessary. Obviously, I don't recommend that course of action for anyone else... AFAIK, there is no consumer GPS chip because size and power requirements make it unfeasible. There are a few portable GPS trackers, but the smallest I have seen is about the size of a deck of cards and only has 3-5 day battery life. Obviously, a thief would PROMPTLY discard any such device they noticed. Sincerely, Philip D. http://www.OdorDestroyer.com Excellent comments. Vets are unlikely to scan any animal unless they have no one claiming it. It is partly about liability, and partly because there are so many homeless animals that any animal with a home is a blessig to them. Hence, stolen pets are very unlikely to be scanned. Lost pets (at least here in the US) are a different story as all government operated animal shelters are supposed to be equipped and scanning every animal.

As for suing, that wouldn’t happen in my case. I’d probably just drive over and inform them that I was taking my animal back with me now. I’d also make it quite clear that I would do so over their dead body should it be neccessary. Obviously, I don’t recommend that course of action for anyone else…

AFAIK, there is no consumer GPS chip because size and power requirements make it unfeasible. There are a few portable GPS trackers, but the smallest I have seen is about the size of a deck of cards and only has 3-5 day battery life. Obviously, a thief would PROMPTLY discard any such device they noticed.

Sincerely,
Philip D.
http://www.OdorDestroyer.com

]]> By: KellyM http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-381 KellyM Mon, 27 Nov 2006 18:33:31 +0000 http://www.odordestroyer.com/newsblog/should-i-microchip-my-pet-4/#comment-381 I have a microchip in my purebred Yorkshire Terrier that doesnt help me find him at all. He was stolen in September of 06. If someone takes him into a vet, and IF the vet scans his chip (IF, because they dont HAVE to scan ANY pet, anytime, and some vets, openly dont scan), then if the vet verifies the ownership info and find out that my Roo is listed as lost/stolen, the what do you think happens??? The vet doesnt have to do anything. They might call SPCA, maybe. The vet may not connact me, and might send my boy home with the people who brought him in. IF I hear about it, if someone lets me know where his is, I may have to sue the people to get my baby home. The OPP may feel it is a civil thing. Ive talked to alot of people, this is where I got my information. Ive talked to vets, humane society, microchip companies, OPP, etc ... I seems to me, and I may be wrong, but, that the mircochips, as they are now, do not work for lost/stolen pet retieval. They might be wonderful for people who travel with their animals or for breeders, but not for everyday pet owners. Is there is a GPS chip availible? I have a microchip in my purebred Yorkshire Terrier that doesnt help me find him at all. He was stolen in September of 06. If someone takes him into a vet, and IF the vet scans his chip (IF, because they dont HAVE to scan ANY pet, anytime, and some vets, openly dont scan), then if the vet verifies the ownership info and find out that my Roo is listed as lost/stolen, the what do you think happens??? The vet doesnt have to do anything. They might call SPCA, maybe. The vet may not connact me, and might send my boy home with the people who brought him in. IF I hear about it, if someone lets me know where his is, I may have to sue the people to get my baby home. The OPP may feel it is a civil thing.

Ive talked to alot of people, this is where I got my information. Ive talked to vets, humane society, microchip companies, OPP, etc … I seems to me, and I may be wrong, but, that the mircochips, as they are now, do not work for lost/stolen pet retieval. They might be wonderful for people who travel with their animals or for breeders, but not for everyday pet owners.

Is there is a GPS chip availible?

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