 Another form of pet identification is microchipping or electronic pet identification. Microchipping is becoming more and more popular among pet owners. With this form of identification, a small identification chip, about the size of a grain of rice, is injected under the skin of the pet's upper back using a hypodermic needle. If the pet is lost, this microchip can be read using an electronic scanner. Owner information is available from a central computer data bank which can be accessed 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. This form of identification seems almost foolproof, but there is one disadvantage. The microchip is only visible using a special scanner. However, scanners are becoming more widely used as microchipping increases and, further, most manufacturers of microchips provide pet owners with a tag that can be placed on their pet's collar which lets people know that a microchip is present.
Tattooing is a third form of pet identification. Tattoos can be applied on a pet's inner thigh area or on the inside flap of the ear. While this is a permanent means of identification, this method also has its disadvantages. First, over time, tattoos have a tendency to fade or distort, in which case they may not be able to be read. Second, tattooing is procedure which typically requires anesthesia and it can be rather painful.
Whatever form of pet identification you decide upon, keep in mind that any form is better than none.
Previous about Pet Identification |
