HIGHLAND, Mich., May 19, 2013 (GLOBE NEWSWIRE) -- Veterinarian Dr. Carol Pajak for Roadside Veterinary Clinic is reminding pet owners about the importance of microchipping as part of routine pet care. According to the American Humane Society, nearly 10 million dogs or cats go missing each year – and close to 90 percent of pets who are lost without a microchip are never returned home. Microchipping pets significantly increases the likelihood that pets will be reunited with their owners. Dr. Pajak strongly recommends that all pets are microchipped. This service is typically performed during routine spay/neuter operations, but it is available on its own at any time for pets.
Roadside Veterinary Clinic in Highland, MI is encouraging pet owners to microchip their pets. Highland veterinarian Dr. Carol Pajak says that microchipping is the most effective way to reunite lost pets with their owners.
"Microchipping is safe and effective," said Dr. Pajak. "Unlike pet tags, the contact information connected to a pet's microchip can be updated instantly. If a pet owner changes phone numbers or relocates, it only takes seconds to log in to a secure online database and change this contact information."
A microchip is a rice-sized chip that is coded with a unique serial number. The chip is then implanted behind the shoulders of a dog or cat.
Should the pet become lost, any vet or animal shelter that finds the pet can scan for a microchip and read the serial number. This number is linked to an online database that contains the owner's contact information, enabling the vet or animal shelter to facilitate a successful reunion.
"Thanks to a single microchip, the vet clinic, vet or animal shelter can safely discover a lost pet's identity and match this identity to a family's secure contact information," said Dr. Pajak.
Dr. Pajak also emphasized that personal information is completely safe. A pet owner's personal information is stored in a secure database. Every microchip contains a unique serial code, which is linked to this information.
"Only a veterinarian or animal shelter has the authorization to match a pet's microchip to the contact information database," said Dr. Pajak. "There is virtually no risk that a pet owner's information will be misused. With microchipping, private information remains private."
In addition to microchipping, Roadside Veterinary Clinic also provides health certificates for animals that will be traveling. The veterinarians will examine pets during a routine wellness pet care exam, which includes a full physical and parasite testing. The vets will also confirm that pets are up to date on all core vaccinations, including rabies.
Pet owners who would like to learn more about the benefits of microchipping, or need to schedule a pet wellness exam, may do so by contacting the vet clinic at http://roadsideveterinaryclinic.com. Pet owners may also learn more about the vet clinic's free pet care exam for new patients.