Having your pet go missing, stray from home or be stolen is devastating. Unfortunately, very few lost or stolen pets are reunited with their rightful owners. This is typically because the owners cannot be located or contacted. By having your pet microchipped at an early age, you can greatly increase the chances of them being returned to you safely and quickly.

A microchip is a tiny chip that is implanted between the shoulders of your pet. This chip has a permanent identification number that is unique to your pet, and this chip links your information (including your name, address and phone number) to a national registry. If your pet goes missing and is brought either to a veterinary clinic or the pound, they will use a scanner to check the animal for a microchip. If one is found, they will phone the national registry and gather the owner’s details so they can be contacted. For this reason, it is important that you update your details with the national registry, should they change at any time.

Although collars, nametags and registration tags are useful ways of identifying your pet, these can become unreadable, can fall off or may include details that are not up-to-date. Therefore, a microchip can ensure that your pet has a permanent form of identification on them at all times.

As of 1^st July 2009, many of the local Queensland governments (including the Logan City Council) introduced laws regarding the microchipping of pets. It is compulsory to microchip your pet if you fit into any of the following categories:

• You have a cat or dog less than 12 weeks of age
• You are buying a cat or dog of any age
• Giving away/selling a cat or dog of any age
• You have declared a menacing dog
• You have declared a dangerous dog
• You have a restricted dog

For more information on microchipping, please contact the clinic.