From Pet Encyclopedia
The Microchip is the size of a grain of rice
[edit] Summary for Microchipping Dogs
This article describes microchips and the microchipping process, addresses some FAQs about microchips, explains why microchipping dogs is important, and explores how we as a pet-loving community might work collectively to eliminate some of the obstacles that currently stand in the way of the micrcochip doing its job properly.
[edit] What is a Microchip ?
A microchip is a tiny device -- its size is often compared to a grain of rice. It is inserted under the skin between the shoulder blades; insertion is no more painful than an injection. The chip contains a number which uniquely links your pet to you; when it is scanned by a special scanner a bit like a barcode reader, this number is revealed. A national data base holds your details. Should your pet go missing and be scanned by a vet, animal rescue centre or local council animal warden, a phone call to the data base will reveal that you are the pet's owner and allow you and your pet to be reunited.
[edit] Microchipping FAQs
[edit] Is it safe?
Yes. Organisations like the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) have been collecting data for many years from hundreds of vets throughout the country. The main problem is `migration', i.e. the chip slipping from its place between the shoulder blades to another location, e.g., on one shoulder; the only problem which this causes is that a quick scan may fail to detect the chip. Some may have heard rumours about chips causing tumours, but in all those years of collecting data, the BSAVA has had only two reported cases of tumours, which might have happened even without the chip. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA), reviewing all the evidence, concludes resoundingly that if there is any risk of microchips inducing tumours, then it is miniscule and far outweighed by the benefits.
[edit] How much does it cost?
This varies widely but a typical price at a vet is £25. However, some local council animal wardens, some branches of the RSPCA, etc. may offer chipping for as little as £10.
[edit] Why should I Microchip my dog?
Chipping is a legal requirement for obtaining a pet passport. Even if you do not intend to travel with your pet, it is important for all pets. Why?
First, for the peace of mind it brings should your pet go missing; every local animal warden, vet, RSPCA Collection officer and so on can tell you reunification stories, and there are many on Petlog's website.
Secondly, as part of responsible pet ownership: if your pet goes missing and the owner cannot be found, the burden of veterinary treatment -- and of housing and ultimately rehoming your pet -- falls on local councils and charities.
All dogs (by law) must wear collars, which legally require a tag with the owner's name and address; but collars -- unlike microchips -- can be removed. Unless your dog is chipped, there is nothing easier than for a thief to steal your dog, have it chipped under his own name, and claim legal ownership, or sell it on to someone who can do the same thing, albeit sometimes innocently.
[edit] Why Microchips don't always do their job
Microchips do offer peace of mind. But just because your dog has been microchipped is not a guarantee that it will be returned to you if it goes missing. There are many reasons for this -- but there are also campaigns and initiatives which are aiming to reduce these obstacles to the microchip's doing its job:
- Owner responsibility: It is your responsibility to let Petlog know about changes of contact details; if your dog's chip is scanned and the person wielding the scanner cannot contact you because you have moved house and haven't informed Petlog, it makes the task of returning your dog to you much more difficult and it may be impossible.
- Public ignorance about microchips: it is not unknown for dogs to be `adopted' by people who assume they are strays; they may not realise that it is actually illegal to keep a dog you have found without reporting it to the local authority dog warden. Even if the finder makes some effort to locate the owner, unless he knows about microchips it will not occur to him to take the dog to a vet or animal rescue centre to be scanned.
- The wide variety of microchips worldwide: Chips which conform to the I.S.O. (International Standards Organisation, standards 11784 and 11785) are the norm in most Western European countries, but not in the USA, Hong Kong or Africa. (South America and Canada used to be out of line with this norm but are rapidly progressing toward conformity.) This means that not all chips can be read by in all parts of the world. If you have moved to the UK from abroad, or have lost your dog while abroad, your chip may not be readable by local scanners. The World Small Animal Veterinary Association (WSAVA) is actively campaigning to remedy this. The BSAVA's Microchip Advisory Group has helped develop standards and the Dog Identification Group (comprising welfare groups, vets and dog wardens) has worked with chip manufacturers, distributors and inserters to develop a code of practice.
- The multiplicity of data bases: although Petlog is by far the largest and best-known data base for microchip records in the UK (run by the Kennel Club, it is used by chip manufacturers Bayer; PetID; Identitrack; The Pet Chip Company; Allflex; Peddymark; Petcode; Datamars; Eezytrac; Tag all and Jecta), there are two others: AniBase (run by Animalcare) & PETtrac (operated by AVID). These three databases work amicably together and will transfer calls through to the correct database. In fact no country has a truly national, authoritative data base, although in France a microchip is now mandatory for dogs and number allocation comes from the government; EuroPetNet is making good progress in consolidating European data bases. More information from WSAVA.
- Migration, bad training and badly maintained scanners: microchips can migrate away from the site of implantation (see `Are Microchips safe?'); they can still be read by a scanner, but only if the whole body of the animal is scanned, and not everyone who wields a scanner scans properly. All too often, as well, scanner batteries are not replaced sufficiently often, and a scanner with weak batteries may miss a chip. .
- Local council scanning policies: not all local councils routinely scan animals found dead on the road. And even those who do scan may simply log the chip number rather than attempting to contact the owner. (Most pet lovers would prefer to know what has happened to their pet, even if it is bad news.) There are petitions which aim to make it a legal requirement for local councils to scan and to contact the owner if the animal is chipped; links below.
- Animal rescue centre scanning policies: not all animal rescue centres have scanners, and even those which do may not scan properly or maintain their scanners in good working order. As a result, an animal chipped to one owner may be rehomed to a new `owner' from an animal rescue centre. Some organisations have set up scanner appeals for this purpose; links below.
- Vet scanning policies: although both the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) and the British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) recommend as `good practice' the policy of scanning every animal seen for the first time, not all veterinary practices operate this policy. Hence a chipped pet which has been stolen and sold on to an innocent third party, or acquired from an animal rescue centre which doesn't scan or scan properly, or simply adopted as a `stray', may be taken to a vet and yet not be scanned there. Some vets may have concerns about breaching client confidentiality; but RCVS guidelines for veterinary surgeons say that in a case where one client presents an animal which is chipped to another owner, the two parties can with their consent be put in touch with one another. If one party declines to consent, the guidelines continue, the vet may breach client confidentiality and pass the information on to the relevant data base's reunification service and the other client may seek legal advice. Some organisations have set up petitions to persuade vets to adopt this good practice; links below.
[edit] External Links
World Small Animal Veterinary Association
British Small Animal Veterinary Association
Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons
RSPCA
Petlog
Dogs Trust
Dog Theft Action (scanner appeal and Jester's Law)
Vets Get Scanning (petition and downloadable letters to vets)
Action on Missing Cats (though this focuses on cats, it has links to scanner appeals, petitions on local council scanning practices which are as relevant to dogs as to cats)
My Moggy (though this too focuses on cats, its scanner appeal and its forums for discussing vet and local council scanning policies are as relevant to dogs as to cats)
[edit] References
WSAVA document
WSAVA document
WSAVA document
RCVS document
RCVS/Veterinary Surgeons/Guide to Professional Conduct/Part 3 - Annexes/ Annexe j
BSAVA/Resources/Microchip Advice BSAVA Microchip Advisory Group
