Microchipping Pets Register and Activate

Microchipping Your Dog or Cat ....

Don't Forget To Also Register It!

This is a true story that happened to me last night as I was heading out to dinner with a friend.  We were driving in my community and my friend said, 'Watch out for that dog!'  (slam on breaks)   This beautiful husky mix is frantically running around the intersection.  I pulled over, opened my door and called her to me. She had her tail between her legs but she finally made it to me.. she had a pink collar on with no tag. DARN!   I put her in the back of my car and thought, 'Now what!'.   I knock on a few doors and no one knows of a husky mix in the area. I even stop a few people that were walking to see if they heard about someone looking for a dog. Goose Egg. W

e were meeting someone at dinner in 20 minutes, I can't bring her home because of my dogs... I was in a pickle.    "Maybe she is microchipped!'

So I call Amy - someone who works at the clinic I used to work at (Pet Vet Animal Hospital). She agreed to meet me at the clinic to scan her.  The dog started to warm up to us and was so sweet. I can tell she was WELL taken care of and was certainly someone's dog. 

We get to Pet Vet, scan her ..... AND.... she has a microchip!  YAY!!!!   And Amy says, 'Well - let's call and see if it is registered.'  Boo. What a downer... I was on a high that I may be able to find her family and get on to my meal. :)     We call Avid and they did not have anyone registered for that microchip. But they gave us the name of the rescue that had originally had her chipped.  We call them - Allen Babcock Rescue in Plantation Florida.

They give us the name of who adopted her, I call 411 but the number we get is just ringing. :(    It's getting late so Pet Vet lets us board her there for the night so we can resume the hunt tomorrow.

8:00 am I get a call from the rescue place - she finds an address (don't ask how - she is a detective) - and it is right near where I found her. The house was for sale - so we try to call the realtor. Leave a message. Now I proceed to call the local animal hospitals to see if they have a client by that name. The 3rd clinic I called did not have a client but the receptionist said, 'I have a friend with that last name and her family has a husky and they live right where you found her.'   She texts her friend and 10 minutes later, the mom calls me!!! YAY! 

I told mom where to pick her (Marley) up and she was so grateful.   However - she had no idea about registering the microchip. She just said, 'The rescue said she had one - we never knew to register it.'.

And here en-lies the whole purpose of this blog.

1) Microchip ALL your pets!  It is fast, easy and cheap

2) Just because they have the microchip in them - does not mean it is registered. You have to go on the company's site to actually register them and pay an annual fee (CHEAP - like $15/year) and enter your contact information. You can even submit a picture, upload medical information, etc.

3) Walk your dog more so your neighbors can recognize your dog ... I literally asked the house across the street from this lady if they knew of a husky and they did not know of one.  Everyone sees me in my neighborhood walk my doberman and Samoyed.  And I know where all the labs live, the dachshunds reside, etc.

4) Make sure your dog has tags on their collar

Well - Marley is safe and sound and is now registered with Avid! :)  But hopefully she won't escape again. I know how scary that feeling is.  And for such a friendly/beautiful dog... she could have easily been kidnapped. 

Thanks to Pet Vet Animal Hospital, Amy and the rescue group! 

Posted by:
Mary Gardner, DVM
www.lapoflove.com