It is not impossible that your pet gets lost or takes flight following an unforeseen event. It is when such a situation occurs that the microchip can make all the difference and give you maximum chances to find your companion.
What is a microchip?
It is a very small capsule the size of a grain of rice that is inserted under the skin of the animal, between its shoulder blades, using a syringe. The microchip contains a unique identification number that allows you to be permanently paired with your pet. It is with the help of a specialized reader that the chip is detected since it is invisible to the naked eye. Subsequently, his identification number gives access to the guardian’s contact details. However, it is important to understand that the microchip does not act as a GPS!
Why have your pet microchipped?
Since it is subcutaneous, the microchip cannot be lost or removed. If your pet strays and does not wear its medallion, loses it or someone malicious removes it, the microchip will identify it. Indeed, if they end up at the SPA de l’Estrie, reading their microchip will allow our staff to instantly trace you and communicate with you as soon as possible. The presence of a microchip is checked each time a dog or a cat is admitted to our shelter. Several veterinary clinics also have microchip readers to identify found animals.
If you find a stray animal, please contact the SPA de l’Estrie as soon as possible. The animal could have a microchip allowing identification of a family waiting for its return.
Where to have your pet microchipped?
The implantation of a microchip is carried out by a veterinary surgeon or under his supervision. Veterinarians have the skills and equipment necessary for a safe implementation.
How much does the microchip cost?
According to the Association des médecins vétérinaires du Québec (AMVQ), microchipping costs about $70 in veterinary clinics. However, the price may vary from one clinic to another. In addition, some shelters or municipal organization may offer microchip clinics at a reduced price.
Is the implantation of a microchip painful?
Installing a microchip is quick, simple and secure. The insertion of the needle can create a slight discomfort in the animal, but does not require any anesthesia and is no more painful than a vaccine.
Microchip & medallion : the two are a pair!
The microchip is intented as a means of identification complementary to the medallion. Even if your pet is microchipped, it must wears its SPA de l’Estrie medallion at all times. The latter clearly indicated to your neighborhood that your companion has a guard and a simple phone call to the SPA will identify the animal in question. The reunions could thus be done without having to travel to the shelter or even to a veterinary clinic. Moreover, let us not forget that the wearing of the medallion is mandatory under the municipal by-laws of the municipalities served by the SPA as well as for all dogs under the provincial dog supervision regulation.
Update my information
It is the owner’s responsability to report any change of address, phone number or owner. Indeed, the identification number of the microchip is linked to a database and it must be updated in order to find the owner of the animal.
Have you adopted your pet at the SPA de l’Estrie? Good news, it is automatically microchipped! During the adoption, your contact details were recorded in the SPAE database, but also at EIDAP, the company chosen for the microchips of our shelter’s animals. If you move, it is essential to inform us in order to update your file. Subsequently, do the same with EIDAP by sending an email to info@eidap.com.
If your animal is not from SPAE, but has a microchip, find out which company to contact to update the details of your microchip.
For any other information on the microchip, we invite you to contact your veterinary clinic directly.