Why microchips matter: Most lost pets never return home
Of the pets who end up in shelters, few are reunited with their owners. Here are a few tips for communicating to your clients about the importance of idendification.
As if you needed another reason to encourage clients to microchip their pets, here’s a scary statistic: A study by the National Council on Pet Population Study shows about a million stray dogs and half a million stray cats end up in U.S. shelters every year. Only 15 percent of those dogs and 2 percent of those cats are reunited with their families. One reason may very well be that the owners did not identify their pet properly. So encourage clients to update their pet’s ID tag with a current address, phone number, name and email address.
Clients should make sure the tag is on a properly fitting collar that won’t slip off the pet’s neck. Also, make sure clients use a quick release collar that will allow the pet to escape if it gets caught on a gate or fence. And remind clients that even if their pet is indoors-only, it can always sneak outside.
The best way to protect clients’ pets is to encourage them to microchip. Remind clients that it will not hurt their pet and could last as long as 20 years, but they must activate it and keep the information updated. Many shelters offer this service free to anyone adopting a pet.
