Microchipping
For added protection for your pet, the doctors at Ridgefield Animal Hospital recommend implanting a microchip. Every year, hundreds of pets in the communities of Thibodaux, Grand Isle, Napoleonville, Donaldsonville, and Luling get separated from their owners. A microchip, in addition to a collar and tag, can help identify and reunite you and your pet in case they become lost or get stolen.
Microchips are implantable computer chips that encode a unique identification number and are injected between your pet's shoulder blades using a needle. The injection does not require anesthesia and is similar to their yearly vaccinations. The microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and are energized by radio waves of handheld scanners used by animal shelters and veterinarians.
Go to www.freepetchipregistry.com to register your pet's number.
When you have your animal microchipped, it is very important to register your information with the microchip company and keep that information updated for the system to work properly. When you move, updating your information with the microchip company should be on your moving checklist. The microchip is not very effective if the information is incorrect. This is not a tracking device; your pet must be scanned by a vet or shelter in order to be reunited with you. No matter how experienced a pet owner you are, there is always the risk of a beloved pet going missing.