The Roodepoort/ Krugersdorp SPCA continues to receive a large number of lost pets who do not have any form of identification, increasing the financial burden upon them.
This is not only traumatic for the animals and owners alike, but it also makes the task of tracing and contacting the owners extremely difficult.
One way to ensure your lost pets can be reunited with you easily and quickly, is by having them microchipped. “A microchp is a small, sterile, silicone-covered chip that is injected under the skin of the animal, and is considered to be the gold standard in animal identification, as it cannot be removed or lost. It can be implanted in an animal at any age and in any species, and is quick and no more painful than any other injection,” Mandy Cattanach, the SPCA manager, explained.
She added that the microchip is loaded with a number that can be read with a special scanning device that is available at veterinarians and animal welfare organisations. “This code is then given to the microchip company to enable them to find all the details of the animal and owner on their system,” she said.
There are many different chips on the market, but they are not all created equal. Pet owners should ensure that their pet’s microchip is internationally recognised and can be read by all scanners. It is also important to keep the information on the microchip system up to date, otherwise the animal might remain unclaimed.
Cattanach concluded by saying, “A microchip relies on the animal being taken to a veterinarian or welfare organisation to be scanned, a fact of which not everyone is aware. For this reason, it is advised that pets should also be fitted with a safe, and comfortable, collar and tag.”
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