Microchip your furry friend .

You’ve microchipped your beloved pet, so if they accidentally get lost you know all it takes is a quick scan and they’ll be home again. Or will they?

WE’VE all heard the heartwarming stories of missing pets being reunited with their owners thanks to a microchip, but as wonderful as these tiny devices are, they have their limitations and require a certain level of maintenance on the owner’s part.

Here’s what you need to know.

PRICE It costs between R100 and R150 for the microchip to be inserted, although vets’ charges vary. Many animalwelfare and rescue organisations also insert chips. Scanning a microchip to identify a lost animal is free.

REGISTERING Make sure you fill in all your details with the chipping company – this is usually done online. Without these details the microchip is useless. Stick one of the bar codes provided in your vet book in the space provided, and give your vet one to keep in your pet’s folder.

UPDATE THE INFO If you move or change phone numbers it’s vital to notify the chip company or to log onto the website and update your details.

SOME CHIPS MIGRATE Some chips have microscopic hooks to embed them permanently in the site where they’re inserted (usually between the shoulder blades) but some migrate over the years, so it’s important to have your vet check it on a regular basis to see where it is and whether it still reads correctly.

SCAN CORRECTLY Vets and shelters should have up-to-date universal scanners but some microchips operate on different wavelengths and might not be read by all scanners – meaning it could appear that your dog or cat isn’t chipped when it actually is! The scanner operator should also scan the whole body of the found animal in case of migration. If your local shelter doesn’t have the correct scanner (they’re pricey at about R1 800) offer to hold a fundraiser for them – local pet lovers should be happy to help.

COLLAR & TAG The chip is just a part of the way to identify your pet if it gets lost. Always have your phone number clearly visible on a tag attached to your pet’s collar so it’s clearly identified as an owned animal and not a stray.

One in three cats and dogs will get lost in their lifetime so a microchip is a huge help to get your pet home safely. Microchips are implanted using a needle large enough to allow the rice-size chip to pass through. For your pet it’s like getting a...