A Tiny Chip, a Huge Lifeline: Why You Should Microchip Your Pet
Every year one in three pets wanders off or gets stolen. Collars and ID tags help, yet they break, slip off, or an opportunist removes them. A microchip, no bigger than a grain of rice, stays with your pet for life. Because the chip stores a unique ID number, any shelter or clinic can instantly link the animal back to you.
1. Real Numbers, Real Peace of Mind
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Dogs: Shelters return more than 50 % of microchipped dogs to their families, while fewer than 20 % of unchipped dogs ever make it home.
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Cats: The gap grows wider for felines. Staff scan a chipped cat and reunite it with its people nearly 40 % of the time, yet unchipped cats go home only 2–3 % of the time.
2. Lost, Stolen… and Reunited Hundreds of Miles Away
Imagine a Kansas family’s Labrador mix vanishing from the backyard. Eighteen months later, a Colorado shelter scans the dog’s chip and calls the stunned owners. Similar success stories pop up every week, proving that a microchip shrinks a thousand-mile distance to a single phone call.
3. A Low-Cost Insurance Policy
Most clinics, rescues, and pet stores, Critters included offer microchipping for $20–$40. That fee costs less than a tank of gas. Therefore, the chip becomes one of the cheapest forms of “insurance” you can buy for your pet.
4. Registration Makes the Magic
Implanting the chip solves only half the equation. You must register it and keep your phone number current. We recommend 24Petwatch.com because the company provides:
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Fast online registration
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A 24/7 call center
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Unlimited free updates whenever you move or swap numbers
Consequently, a quick database search will always point rescuers to the right household.
5. Simple, Safe, and Battery-Free
Your veterinarian injects the chip between the shoulder blades during a routine visit. Pets react the same way they do to a vaccination, one quick yelp, then back to tail wags. Because the chip contains no battery, it never tracks location or generates heat; instead, a handheld scanner powers it for a split-second read.
How to Get Your Pet Chipped
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Critters Pet Shop Clinics: We host regular microchip events that include lifetime registration.
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Veterinary Offices: Many vets chip pets during annual exams.
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Shelters & Rescues: Adoption fees often cover a chip, making the transition to your home even easier.
A microchip costs pocket change, yet it delivers priceless peace of mind. Chip your pet, register the number, and relax, your four-legged friend has a permanent ticket home.
Questions? Stop by Critters Pet Shop or call us any time. We’re happy to walk you through the process and register your chip on the spot.