Getting a new puppy is a fun, exciting experience. When you get a puppy, though, you should consider everything. The puppy's health, safety and happiness will all be your responsibilities as the owner. Part of that safety is making sure that the puppy is easily identifiable if it gets lost.
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Provide ID
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Although many people believe that only outdoor dogs and cats require identification, the fact is that even indoor dogs should have tags of some sort. Dogs can escape from the yard and house, grow excited and run away during walks, or even be kidnapped or accidentally left at a store or park.
Microchips
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According to Pawsperous Pets, a veterinarian can surgically insert a microchip under a dog's skin. Microchips are as small as a grain of rice, and are administered with an injection. They are only available through licensed veterinarians, and are not recommended for dogs that have sensitive systems.
How They Work
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The microchips are programmed with a dog's identification number for tracking. Any identification number is associated with a national database, which keeps the owner's name, address and phone number. The database may also have records about the dog's history and vaccinations, to help in caring for the dog until the owner is found.
Considerations
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Microchips require specialized scanners to be effective, as they're not visible to the naked eye. Although many animal control centers and Humane Societies are equipped with these scanners, it presents a difficulty in institutions that don't have them. The central database is only as accurate as the pet owners, who must register new addresses and phone numbers.
Alternatives
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Alternatives to microchips include the less invasive option of metal ID tags, with an assigned and traceable ID number, and tattoos of the same ID number. Both of these methods use the same central database methods for tracking and identifying a dog's owner and home address.
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