Why Do Pets Run Away?

Dogs and cats by their very nature have characteristics that make wandering common. Both are highly curious by nature. Their close relatives include wolves and tigers, both of which hunt and check out new areas of interest continually. Exploring and chasing objects of desire is an instinctive action for household pets; even if they receive proper attention and care at home, because by their nature they will have an inkling to find out what lies beyond their territories, and sometimes that longing can’t be denied.

Dogs in particular have several forces that could potentially propel them out the door. For starters, just the smell of another dog in heat could spark their procreation urge. Neutering and spaying reduce this likelihood by about 90 percent, but that leaves a small percentage of fixed animals that are ruled by pheromones. Another way their noses get them into trouble is by smelling food. If a tasty treat from afar tempts them enough, they’ll seek out its source. Also, if they’re not being stimulated enough at home — puppies and certain breeds have tons of energy and need proper outlets for it — they can run away out of sheer boredom.

Why Microchip Your Pet?

Each year millions of lost and abandoned animals are taken in by animal welfare organizations throughout the United States. A very small percentage of those lost pets are actually reunited with their family. The major reason for failing to reunite a lost pet with its owner is because the pets are unidentifiable. Microchipping offers pet owners the only truly permanent method of identifying your pet and linking the animal back to you. If you want to improve your pet’s chances of getting home in a lost-pet emergency — microchipping is your best option.

Can My Cat Be Microchipped?

Cats by nature are curious and unpredictable. If they are drawn away from the safety of their home, you need to give them the best chance of getting home safely. In the event your cat does get lost, a registered microchip is your cat’s best chance of getting home.

Is Microchipping Painful?

Animal microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and are typically implanted just beneath the skin between the shoulder blades by your veterinarian. The process is similar to a vaccination and most animals do not react when the microchip is implanted.

How Effective is Microchipping at Reuniting Lost Pets with Their Families?

Microchipping Really Works.

The Humane Society of the United States recently published a study that involved 53 separate animal shelters, located throughout the United States, to determine the effect that microchips had in reuniting lost pets with their families. In this study that involved thousands of animals, the results showed a 250% increase in reuniting microchipped dogs with their owners as compared to those dogs that had not been microchipped, and a 20-fold increase in reuniting lost cats with their family, in comparison to those that had not been microchipped.

When Is the Best Time to Microchip Your Pet?

If your pet is not currently microchipped, it would be good to consider having it done today. If you have a new puppy or kitten, we recommend that you have them microchipped at the time of their final puppy or kitten vaccination.

How Much Are the Annual Fees Required to Maintain My Pet Registered in the PetLink Database?

When your veterinarian implants your pet with a Datamars microchip there are no hidden or annual fees to maintain your pet registration in the PetLink Database. Some other manufacturers of microchips do charge an additional fee every year to maintain your pet in the registry database, but not Datamars.

You should ask your veterinary practitioner if the product that he or she is implanting under the skin of your pet includes lost pet registration that is good for the life of your pet or will you be charged to maintain the registration each year.