Let’s take a look at the situations where it pays to microchip dogs and cats.
Motor accidents, fights with other dogs and cats, diseases, accidental poisoning and age-related conditions – these are the things that usually come to mind when pet owners think of the health risks their pets face on a daily basis.
Naturally, affordable pet insurance goes a long way to putting your mind at ease regarding the wellbeing of your furry friends, but what about all of the little twists and turns in your pet’s life that aren’t covered by a pet healthcare plan?
Related: 3 Reasons Why Pet Insurance is Important from the Get-Go
With the high number of pets that go missing or get stolen every year, microchipping your furry friends should be your first line of defence. American statistics suggest that only 22% of lost dogs and a mere 2% of lost cats are ever reunited with their families if they are not tracked with microchips.
Compare this to the roughly 52% of dogs and 38% of cats who are returned to their owners thanks to their microchips, and it starts making much more sense to get your pet chipped as soon as possible. Here are just a few more reasons to consider microchipping your dog or cat:
Why You Should Microchip Dogs and Cats
It’s quick and (almost) painless
Getting your pet microchipped is just as easy as taking them to the vet for a vaccination, and probably hurts about as much as getting an injection.
The microchips used today are tiny – about the size of a grain of rice – and remain active throughout your pet’s life with no need for replacement. The chip is usually inserted into a soft or fatty part of your pet’s back. Quick and simple!
Discover: How to Find a Missing Dog or Cat: 6 Simple Steps
It confirms ownership
Having your dog get a little adventurous and running away is not the only reason to keep track of them.
Many dogs are stolen every year, too, and since collars and tags are so easy to remove and replace, there is no way of linking them back to you if they are recovered. A microchip holds your personal details and is a foolproof way to establish ownership of your pets.
Peace of mind
If you have outside pets, the chance that they will someday sneak out of the gate while you aren’t looking is probably higher than you think.
Having them microchipped will put your mind at ease when you aren’t home, and if anything does ever happen to your furry friends, you’ll immediately know what to do and will stand a far higher chance of recovering them unharmed.
So, even though you might think that health related issues are the biggest of your worries as a pet parent, the above reasons prove that it’s super important to microchip dogs and cats to make sure you’ll always be able to find them if something goes wrong!
Read next: 5 Benefits of Owning a Pet
