Nothing Butt Huskies

When we purchased Kodiak, we decided it was quite a significant investment to make and we wanted to do more to protect him, should he ever become separated from us. We began researching the various alternative methods available for identifying him.

We started with an Owner Alert Tag, that has all our information as well as our Veterinarian’s information on it. We licensed him with our County, as is the law here, so he also has a Registered County tag and number on his collar. His rabies tag has an identification number on it as well.

Then we realized that if he were ever to get outside without his collar or slip it when we’re in the yard or walking, all of these precautions would be useless.

The Microchip

The microchip is a tiny computer chip or transponder about the size of a grain of rice. It stores an identification number and transmits that information through radio waves to the appropriate scanner. Typically, the microchip number contains 10 characters, making available 275 billion separate codes. This makes it highly unlikely that the same identifying code will be used more than once. Rest assured that your pet will have a unique microchip code.

Microchips are composed of a silicon chip and tiny antenna encased in biocompatible glass. The microchips come pre-loaded in a syringe, and the needle is inserted just under the skin between the shoulder blades where the microchip is implanted. The entire procedure takes less than 10 seconds and is only as painful as a vaccination injection.

After injection, the tissue surrounding the microchip reacts to this new substance and forms a casing. This helps prevent migration of the microchip. Since the microchip is made of biocompatible material, rejection is uncommon and infection at the site is very rare.

A scanner can be passed over your dog’s shoulders and a number will be displayed. That number can be used to access the microchip database and access owner information for the safe return of your pet.

Even if your pet has a microchip and is properly scanned, without an accessible database, this information will not return your pet to you. When contacted with the identification code of a missing pet, the database personnel can retrieve the pet’s information. Each microchip that is sold is registered to the veterinary hospital or shelter that purchased it. It is the responsibility of the veterinary hospital to record your pet’s unique microchip identification number in his record and notify the microchip database.

In addition, you can register your pet in your own name for faster notification when your lost pet has been found. There is a charge for this service. These microchip databases are usually available 24 hours a day and are even accessible via the Internet. But remember, the database, as with computers, is only as good as the data it contains. Annual confirmation of your pet’s microchip information is strongly recommended.

In the United States, there are currently two active suppliers of microchips. American Veterinary Identification Devices (AVID®) and HomeAgain®.

Tattoos

Tattooing is another great and permanent way to protect them if they ever get lost. Tattooing dogs and cats has been done routinely since the sixties and is a relatively painless procedure. Normally a number is tattooed on the groin of the pet. That number MUST be listed with a pet registry to be of the highest value.

If your pet ever gets lost the tattoo is a great identification marker.You can post a lost and found notice and say your pet has a tattoo. Many shelters will not destroy a tattooed pet, and some will hold it for a longer period of time than a non tattooed pet.

It also drastically reduces the chance that your lost pet will end up in an animal research laboratory. The main problem is that on some breeds of dog or cat the tattoo becomes less legible over time. Make sure to get a recommendation for a skilled pet tattooist

Cost of this procedure can vary based on the size of the dog and the tattooist.

It is a matter of personal preference which method is used. We opted for the AVID microchip, as it came with a number of stickers with the chip number on it, as well as a plastic tag complete with the number. After registering our chip number under my name we opted to purchase the stainless steel tag.

Huskies are the “Houdini” of the dog world, they love to roam, dig and jump. They have a strong prey instinct, so even the most well-behaved Husky can feel nature calling him to explore.

Pure Bred dogs are often stolen right from their yards, so protecting them with permanent identification is recommended.