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Tattoo and
Microchip Information
If
and Why They Should be Used
A survey
conducted by the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy of animal
care and control facilities states that only 16% of Dogs and 2% of cats entering
these shelters and humane societies are returned to their original owners.
Animal theft
is a very big money making enterprise in the US. Most animals are resold to
Laboratories for different scientific and medical research programs. For the
most part, the common pet, in the American family home does not have any proper
identification .Most people in this country are very responsible for their dogs.
Tags
and Collars
Tags are
attached to your dogs collar. The usual information on the tag is dogs name,
your name , address and a phone no. The problem with tags are they are easily
lost . Collars can have all of the above information, but a collar can slip over
your dogs head or just be taken off. There are services that you can register a
pet tag or collar. You get an ID number and a 800 phone number to call. Problem
= if the dog does not have the collar or tag on, how do you find it?
Tattooing
Tattooing has
been used by the race horse and dog racing industries for years. Tattooing use
to be done on the ears, lips, and even the gums. Ear have been cut off and Lips
have also been clipped to have the tattoo removed. Tattooing is not painful. A
dogs skin has several more layers than human skin. The tattoo gun noise will
scare the dog more, then the tattooing process. Tattoos now are given on the
inner leg or stomach. Either the AKC number or the owners social security number
are used. An owner may also use a number letter system if more then one dog is
owned. Tattoos are noticeable, anyone can see a tattoo. They do not require a
vet to do the process and no special machinery is required to locate or read them. Tattoos
are well known, most shelters, pounds, and labs will look for them.
Problem = A
dog’s heavy coat will hide a tattoo so it can not be seen. Tattoos can fade
over time. They can be altered or removed. A dog is brought into a shelter,
scared, so the personal will not look for a tattoo because of fear of being
bite. Research facilities won’t purchase a tattooed dog because it is a crime
It is also federal crime to transfer a stolen tattooed dog over state lines.
Microchipping
Microchips
were developed in the 1970’s by Dr. Stoddard DVM and Mr. Beiel. These chips
were large and mainly used on exotic birds. Chips have shrunk in size from the
original three inches to the current size, which is the size of a grain of rice.
The chip is a biocompatible glass that has a integrated circuit coil and
capacitor that is hermetically sealed. It is non-toxic and designed with a
operation life exceeding over 25 yeas. The computer memory in the chip contains
a unique number. A radio signal is used to read these numbers through the skin
of the dog. The chip is coded by a computer controlled process that ensures no
duplication in the numbers. The code can’t be altered. They do not have a
power supply or moving parts that will have to be replaced Most of the chips are
encased in a thin layer of protein which anchors it in place for the rest of the
life of the dog. They do not pass through or out of the body. Chips that are
implanted improperly may migrate, but on the most part a very small percentage
do that. Chipping can be done at a very early age. It is injected between the
shoulders blades under the skin with an syringe and needle. This does not take
any more time then your pets yearly vaccination. The paperwork takes longer then
the whole implanting process. Many shelters and humane societies are now
chipping all adopted animals. many of these shelter keep their own registry
databases. Tattooing and Microchipping comply with AKC rules of
identification. Canada requires that all dogs and puppies sold must have either
a tattoo or a microchip before it can leave the breeders home.
Three
Companies produce microchips and scanners. Identichip by Avid, AKC’s Home
Again-Schering-Plough(Destron-Fearing),and Info Pet/Trovan. None of which
could read any of the others chips, this lead into a very big problem. Shelters
and Vets ect. did not have the right scanner. This was the main reason why
microchipping was not popular. In 1996 the 3 US microchip companies announced the
development of a Universal scanner. These could read any current manufactured or
distributed chip in the US.
A study by
the American Humane Society on Universal scanners was conducted in 1996.
Michigan Humane Society, and Animal Humane Society of Minnesota were part of
this study. Animals were chipped and then Scanned. Scanners that were on the
market and new Prototype scanners were used to test the chips by the three
companies .In the study all scanners were 100% able to identify their own chips
.They were 96% to 100% correct in identifying the chips from all three
companies. The study also found that several precautions have to be taken to
insure optimal performance by the Microchip
Identification
Systems.
1.Follow the
manufactures instructions very carefully and precise.
2.
Particularly important that scanning speed and patterns be followed to insure
optimal performance.
The price of
microchipping can be $10.00 to $50.00 depending on where and who you have do it.
Scanners range in price from $199.00 to over $500.00 For more information on the
above study: www@amerhumane.org/chip.html
Registration
This
is the most important thing that can be done in all
of the above processes. If nothing is register HOW can you find your dog? Here
are just a few :
* National Dog
Registry will also register Chip Numbers
**AVID keep a
registry of all chips bought by a customer
Article may not be
reproduced without authors written permission
Jean Runge -
1997
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