The Microchip Is Mandatory, But Is It Necessary?

Having a pet, especially if it’s a puppy, generates expenses that we must take into account. However, sometimes we are thinking about some things, if it is really necessary to spend on it and if the thing in question has any use, such as the microchip.

It is mandatory in most countries, but is it really necessary? Is it good for anything? In this article we will explain to you how a microchip works and all its advantages.

What is a microchip?

The microchip is a very small device, similar to a grain of rice, that must be inserted into the animal’s neck. In it, an alphanumeric code is introduced in which the owner’s data are stored, storing them in a database.

If the animal is lost, the data from the microchip can be read with the help of a device capable of decoding the bar codes, and, thus, it is possible to locate the dog’s owner.

When the owner reports the disappearance of his pet, the files in which the pet is registered are accessed and a search begins in the kennels with the objective of locating the most recent routes through which the animal has passed. If any of them are where the pet was lost, the device will alert the system where the data is stored and thus will reunite the pet and its owner.

However, unfortunately, pet thefts happen that are done by professionals able to hide data from the chip, thus avoiding the rescue of the animal. This happens mainly with expensive breeds.

What are the shortcomings of the microchip?

Like every technology that exists, this device also has deficiencies and can even have failures. Well, in other words, it’s the system that gets it up and running that can fail. The causes are as follows:

• There is no national registry. For example, in Spain there is no national register of pets, so if your pet gets lost in an autonomous community and appears in another, the place it appears will not show the presence of your pet or the your data. To improve this, it would be necessary to unify all autonomous communities in order to be able to retrieve an animal wherever it appears.
• Owners’ ignorance. Few are the owners who know of the existence of a number to call when there is a disappearance, theft or loss. In case of theft, it is essential to call this number as soon as possible so that there is no time for thieves to erase the data. This phone must always be available on the card that the veterinarian delivers when placing the microchip.

How to improve its usefulness

The purpose of this device, in addition to rescuing lost animals, is also to end abandonment. However, even though, in general, these objectives were fulfilled, it was not possible to fulfill what was wanted in the beginning.

To make its effectiveness even greater, at least two things are needed:

• Data Update. If the pet owner changes his address, phone number or even if he dies, it is necessary that all of this is communicated to locate the owner as quickly as possible. In case of death, the update will be made with a family member who can take care of the animal, if it is possible to rescue it.
• Warn of your loss. If the owners do not notify the device system about the disappearance, theft or loss of the pet, it will hardly be able to fulfill its final objective: recover the animal and deliver it to its owner.

However, despite these small deficiencies and the improvements that need to be made, in general, the microchip is very useful and thanks to it it was possible to recover many lost animals. For example, in Spain, only in 2011, thanks to the microchip, it was possible to recover the considerable number of 13.4 thousand animals lost.

In addition, there is now a European network in which all animals are registered with the device, so if your animal appears in another part of the continent, it can be located. So always remember to report your disappearance.