RSPCA ACT is reminding Canberra pet owners who value their friend-chips with their furry friends, to get them chipped and if they are already chipped, to check that all details are up to date.
CEO Michelle Robertson explains that “regardless that microchipping is mandatory in the ACT, we still see too many animals that either come in without a microchip, or with details being outdated.
“If your pet goes missing, a microchip will help to quickly identify your pet and have them reunited with you as soon as possible. And this is one of our goals, to reunite people with their pets as fast as possible to reduce stress both for pet owners but also for their pets.”
RSPCA ACT has some examples where pets were reunited with their owners, months, or even years after they got lost or went missing.
“Sometimes pets go on great adventures that we will never really know about, but when they find themselves at our RSPC ACT shelter with microchip details up to date, it is a happy day because we can reunite then with their families.”
A microchip is a permanent method of electronic identification and implanted at the back of your pet’s neck. The chip itself is very small and measures about the size of a grain of rice. Each chip has a unique number which is detected using a microchip Scanner.
All animals adopted from RSPCA ACT are microchipped.
Details about the animal and its owner are also recorded on the microchip database registry. It is very important to keep your contact details up to date.
The easiest way to change your contact details is to search http://www.petaddress.com.au using your pet’s microchip number.
Petaddress will redirect you to the database that lists your pet’s microchip number so that you may contact them directly. Some registries provide Change of Address forms on their websites.
If a pet is transferred to a new owner, the new owner must ensure their contact details are recorded on the database.
Microchipping is a quick (only takes a few seconds), safe and simple procedure.
Memphis’ story:
Memphis went on an adventure of her own in 2017 and sadly never returned home. A member of the public spotted Memphis wandering around her neighbourhood and brought her into the shelter in May 2022.
A simple scan of her microchip and we were able to contact her owners. Memphis’ family were shocked and elated to discover that Memphis had been safely found. They came rushing down to the shelter, and after 5 years apart Memphis and her family were happily reunited.
For all the latest RSPCA ACT news, visit www.rspca-act.org.au or follow RSPCA ACT on Facebook and Twitter.
For more information or images please contact:
Brendan Arnold, RSPCA ACT
Email: barnold@rspca-act.org.au
Phone: 02 6287 8131