Lost & Found

Losing your dog or cat can be a very traumatic experience.

Microchipping is a good first step to finding your pet in the event that should ever happen. Microchips are relatively inexpensive and can help you find your cat or dog sooner! All veterinarians, shelters, and humane societies have the ability to scan found animals for microchips.

How does it work? Embedded in each microchip is a number. That number corresponds to your information (you must register your information once your pet is microchipped). When the microchip is scanned, the number comes up and the owner’s information can be tracked by calling the microchip company or looking it up in the microchip’s database.

Microchips are very small – about the size of a piece of rice! They last the entire lifespan of the pet, so it will never have to be replaced. Given by a hypodermic needle, they are very similar to a vaccine. No internal power is needed, as a scanner is used to energize the microchip and produce the information.

The microchip is made up of a glass capsule that is completely safe for your pet. Inside the capsule is a silicon microchip with the number associated with your pet. Also inside is a tuning capacitor and an antenna coil. The capacitor is what receives the power from the scanner and sends it to the microchip. The microchip information is then picked up by the antenna coil, made of copper, and transmitted back to the scanner. At CHS, every one of our dogs is microchipped and cats will be microchipped if they are already under anesthetic for a spay or neuter (which is most of our cats!).

CHS scans every stray that comes through our doors. We would much rather re-unite a pet with its owner, than try to find it a new one. If you find a stray, feel free to come to CHS or go to your local veterinarian to have it scanned for a microchip. You never know….. it’s owners may just be a scan and a phone call away!