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Microchips
According to the AKC CAR, more than 900,000 pets and companion
animals have been registered in its database, which does include
tattooed animals, and almost 50,000 pets have been reunited with
their families.
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Microchips vs. Tattoos and Collar Tags
For many years,
because collar tags are so easily lost or removed, pet owners and
breeders have relied on tattoos as a more permanent form of pet
identification. Unfortunately, the use of tattoos is not an unerring
method. Say, for example, your dog has gotten lost. Someone finds
him and takes him to the animal shelter. Upon his arrival he is
unsettled and possibly frightened. The shelter aide quickly notes
the gnarled metal ring dangling from his collar where his I.D. tag
used to rest. As she attempts to check your dog for a tattoo, he
snarls and squirms. His hair is matted and the aide does not see the
small series of numbers located near his right hind leg. This is not
an uncommon scenario, so people have been trying to find other
systems of identification. Microchips are one of the latest and most
popular systems.
Similar to bar codes and magnetic stripes, microchips are a form of
automatic identification technology. Generally, these microchips are
used to store and transmit information that is specifically related
to something or someone. They can be implanted, either by injection
or a surgical procedure, temporarily inserted or simply attached to
an object. Because they use radio-frequency signals to relay the
stored information, they are referred to as radio-frequency
identification (RFID).
According to the two main manufacturers, AVID and Destron Fearing,
microchips used in pet identification and recovery are programmed to
store a unique, permanent identification number. The chip and an
antenna are sealed in an airtight, biocompatible capsule made of
glass. The entire mechanism can range in size from less than half an
inch to a little over an inch in length. The average microchip is
about the size of a grain of rice. The device itself contains no
battery, and its electronic circuitry is only activated when it is
being scanned.
The method of implanting the microchip is very much like
administering a vaccination. A sterile applicator is used to inject
the microchip just under the skin at the back of the dog's neck,
between the shoulder blades. To avoid migration (movement from the
original implant site), one company uses a patented sheath to
promote bonding between fibrous tissue and the microchip capsule.
Once the microchip is successfully implanted, it can be "read" using
a scanning device. The scanner emits a low-frequency radio signal,
activating the microchip. The microchip then sends the unique
identification number back to the scanner. After the information is
encoded, the scanner displays the number on its LCD display. The
number is then entered into a database, along with the proper
contact information. Programs like the American Kennel Club (AKC)
Companion Animal Recovery (CAR) program maintain worldwide databases
so they can help reunite lost pets with their families.
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