RFID chips for pets?

[QuackXP]

Although I have been aware of this technology and its use in pets for a while it recently came up in an article in the local newspaper and was curious to what the opinion of this forum was.

Tribune-Chronicle

As long as the research is true that beyond the initial injection that is no worse than common shots there are no ill health effects I see it as a very effective means of pet identification should they wonder off. Unlike a collar that could fall off or be removed it would be very hard to even identify if an animal had a chip unless you where looking for it. I would guess not that not every vet and shelter has an RFID reader so given the current state of technology I would still use both a traditional collar with a tag and the RFID chip. I doubt it has much use with guinea pigs as they are less likely to manage to escape there cage the house and get far away quickly.

Microchip implant (animal) - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

[babybunny]

Most cats or dogs already have these if you adopt from a shelter. I definitely will make sure when we get a doggie again one day, that it will have one.

I saw this episode of Animal Cops Phoenix where this poor dog was turned over to the ASPCA with a horrible old eye injury, by people claiming it was a stray. Turns out the lil guy was micro chipped and registered to the same people who claimed they found him in their yard like that. Thankfully due to that lil chip, they were able to prosecute the owners.

[babytulip07]

I personally have never heard of an RFID hurting an animal, correct me if I'm wrong. My cat has both a collar tag and a RFID, she is an indoor only cat so who knows what would happen to her if she got out. She has never been outside. Besides the fact that its slightly creepy to have a microchip in your pet, I think its a useful way to find a beloved pet.

[crazywiggy]

Microchipping is common over here, and getting more popular by the day. General consensus seems to be that all responsible owners get their pets chipped (dogs and cats mostly but some others as well). I think its a fantastic idea - if an animal is lost or stolen a collar can be removed but a microchip will prove ownership. I think all vets here, and most rescues and puonds have scanners and all dogs are routinely scanned when they come in. That is why they always insert them in the same place. Of course, by UK law, your dog must be wearing a collar and ID tag anyway.

They're inserted through a needle like an injection into the back of the neck. I've never heard of any problems, except that on rare occasions they move round the body so are hard to find and scan later.

Personally I think microchipping should be compulsory for all dogs and cats.

[Alusdra]

I have my bird chipped. Other than that, there is no way that I could ID her- she doesn't have a band (and those can get taken off, anyway). I don't know that you would want to do it for a piggie- what are the chances they will get outside the house and run away? Not too great, I shouldn't think. I keep trying to get my parents to do their dog- and for cats it's an especially good idea as most don't wear collars. If your cat got out with no ID- they could go anywhere and be lost forever and probably put to sleep at a shelter. Plus it's so cheap! Like $30 for the chip and then $15 for the sign-up fee for life. I mean, that's nothing compared to getting your animal back.

It basically is a shot- just with a really thick needle!

All the ones I've seen done have taken it no better or worse than any other shot, though. The chip is the size of a grain of rice (approximately) and the needle big enough to pass it... Sylvia (my bird) is pretty tiny (like the length of my forearm from top of head to tip of her long tail) and she has had no problems either with the implantation or since (a concern as she plucks her feathers so the vet thought she might bother it).

To be fair, there have been a couple concerns with them- a month or so ago an article came out that they give your pet cancer, but I think it was one possible case in a dog and some incidental and not controlled study on rats (translation- the risk is minute if any) and at one point people were trying to get the right to sell the names and addresses to an ad company (can't remember where) but it got shot down really quickly. Probably because all the politicians had their dogs chipped and didn't want the phone calls.

[TrekkiePiggies]

My pup Annie has two microchips because one of them wandered off. It was hanging out near her armpit last time I was able to find it. Other than the migration issue I think these things are great. Always microchip any pet who is big enough--even if they're indoor-only. An indoor cat, dog, or bird can launch through an open door faster than you can blink.

Also, the RFID chips are difficult for unscrupulous people to remove. A dog can be stolen, have its collar removed, and then be re-sold with no one the wiser. However, a microchip can't just be unclipped, so a chipped pet is easier to locate if stolen.

An RFID chip is also a proof of ownership. If there is a flood or other disaster and you are separated from your pet, the chip can confirm your ownership even if your paper records have been lost.

[pigsforlife]

Microchipping is very popular and extremely common here. Both my pups were microchipped when they were spayed/nuetered. It is fantastic technology, which results in lost pets being returned to their homes alot quicker, pets without microchips rarely find their homes.

All vets and RSPCA shelters have a reader, over here at least. Vets have readers to make sure that the microchip is still in the correct place amongst other things, the RSPCA has readers so that they can check lost pets for a microchip and then return them to their rightful homes.

[naturestee]

All the shelters around me microchip every cat, dog, and often rabbits. When possible they do it while the animal is unconscious for spay/neuter surgery, since the needle is so big. It's ok to do it to animals that are awake but it's less stress if it's done when they're not.

The only problem with the chips is that Banfield uses a different kind from anyone else in the US and their chips can't be detected by the other brands' readers. Aside from that problem, nearly all shelters and vets in my area have readers for the more common brands and always check stray animals.