Pet Health: What You Need to Know

This Is Why You Should Always Microchip Your Pet Before Traveling

15 February 2022

Connor Hawkins

Taking a pet with you on a trip can be fun, but it does have its dangers. Keeping your pet with you at all times isn't always possible, especially if you're flying by plane. Unfortunately, it's possible for cats or dogs to go missing during travel, and when that happens, they need every advantage they can get to be safely reunited with you. This is why it's so important to get them microchipped before you go.

Potential Loss

You've probably read the headlines in the past of pets being lost in transit while on planes. Unfortunately, unless you keep your pet with you at all times and bring them as a carry-on, it's possible for a pet in the luggage hold to be sent to the wrong plane or to miss a connection. In some cases, pets can even break out of their carriers and get loose as soon as the luggage hold is opened. Unfortunately, bringing pets with you as carry-on isn't always possible, especially if you have a large animal.

Another option is to bring them with you while you drive. But all pets need to relieve themselves, and in an uncertain surrounding with strange sights and smells, it's possible for your pet to break free and disappear in an unknown location. Nobody wants to think about the possibility of losing a pet during a trip, but if you want to protect them, it's necessary to take precautions.

The Problem With ID Tags

If you have an ID tag for your pet, it's a great start, but it's not enough. ID tags can easily be lost or worn down to the point where they're no longer legible. If your pet were to lose their collar or tag, even a good samaritan who wants nothing more but to reunite them with their owner would have no idea what to do.

The good thing here is that microchips aren't stuck with this problem. Microchips are inserted under the skin, so they can't be lost off of your pet. While an average layperson can't scan a microchip, any vet's office they bring them into will be able to check its data and can get in touch with you.

Updates

Unfortunately, in some cases, pets disappear when their pet parents are on the verge of moving to a new home. These pets can even be lost during the travel to said new home. This makes ID tags useless, as in this instance, you wouldn't be at the old address or possibly even have the same phone number.

The nice thing, though, is that microchips can be updated. Nothing other than a code is actually stored on the microchip itself. When a vet scans it, they insert that code into a database that reveals the pet and owner's information. This information can be updated by you anytime, even if you're not with your pet, just by logging onto the internet. So even if your pet is missing for a long time, they stand a good chance of making it back to you if they're found.

For more information on microchipping pet services, contact a veterinarian near you.

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