micro chipping is it worth doin...

[southwestwalkers]

just checking to see what ya'll think about having it done.. I just have a tag on my walkers collar with his name and my number but other folks have said get him chipped. I can think of other ways to spend the $$ on him but if its worth it then Ill chip him instead....seeing what ya'll think

Thanks, Robb

[Melanie Hampton]

My dogs are micro-chipped for shelter purposes. A shelter is supposed to scan every dog that comes in. My shelter promises they do. I buy the micro-chip and do it myself.

[southwestwalkers]

Thanks Mel.... I just may spend the few dollas just for that purpose can't hurt none

Robb

[buckshot]

It only works if shelters are scanning for them and doing right.

Here is a story locally with the shelter not doing what they are suppose to do:

Originally posted by Buckshot
Many pet owners implant micro-chips in their pets in case the animal gets lost, but one Valley family says the new technology failed them.

Their dog turned up at Huntsville Animal Control, but now another family may adopt him.

Lisa Compton says, "I don't know what. Something just told me go I was going to check the DOA list."

Compton's intuition led her to Huntsville Animal Services Monday, weeks after her redbone/bloodhound mix Beauregard ran away.

When she came to the second cage, she struck gold.

"I'm thinking yay! I've found my baby. I was so happy and then I noticed the sign on the cage that says I've been adopted excited," says Compton.

Excited, yet puzzled.

"I told the guy that was in the back with me, 'Hey that's my dog,' and he's like, 'well he was scanned. There is no micro chip on this dog.' I said, 'Yes there is. I'll bet you a million dollars."'

When Beau was a puppy, Compton had a microchip put on him.

Many owners use that ID in case their pet gets lost or stolen.

When he first went missing, Compton went to Animal Services.

Compton says she didn't fill out a loss report because they told her to keep coming back.

"She said every dog that comes in we, always scan 'em to make sure if there is a microchip, you'll get a phone call. I said ok so I wasn't worried about concentrating my efforts at going to the pound every couple days to check there cause I figured they'd scan him, his check would come up, and they'd call me," explains Compton.

The problem was stated on Beau's card.

It reads: "Scanned. Low battery."

But Saturday, Beau's adoption to another family was finalized and unless they agree to turn him over, Compton and her family are out of a pet.

Compton's five-year-old daughter Amanda says, "Beau's my favorite dog and I love him now since he's gone I really miss him."

Dr. Karen Hill Sheppard is the director for Huntsville Animal Services.

She calls this an extremely difficult situation.

She says the department apologizes for the grief and anxiety Beau's previous owner is feeling.

Sheppard adds they are trying and will continue to try to resolve the situation.

http://www.waff.com/Global/story.asp?S=5197632

[Melanie Hampton]

Thanks for posting that story Buckshot....I had read that story too and definetly would not count on just the micro-chip and if I had a lost dog would take a photo down to them.. I think it is just one more preventative measure you can take.... And then when he is older and you can tell he will be worth his feed in the hunting department, slap a freeze brand on him...

[southwestwalkers]

Thanks for the great info guys and gals.... I think Im gonna do the chip thing it really cant hurt.

Robb

[calblu]

If the dog is valuable to you, you can never have too many forms of id on it.
All our dogs have plates/tags on their collars, but we also microchip and most of them have a tattoo (inside thigh) as well. We use Avid microchips and they cost about $10 each when you buy them in bulk. As of last year, every puppy we sell has a microchip.
There's a lady who has a booth at all the local AKC shows and she does the tattoos for $5/dog. Can't beat that!!

[Spanky]

As Cal stated you can not have enough.....micro, tattoo, freeze brand. Coop had freeze brands on one of his best hounds only to find the tracking collar and id collars sitting on the side of a dirt road. Luckily the theif brought the hound home and felt compelled to shoot her mouth off to co-wrokers who did not think it was too funny. One told her husband who recognized the brand initials and called Randy. Coop is prosecuting to the fullest

[Tim Lockwood]

I would do everything possible. I micro chip and freeze brand all of my dogs as well as take pics. The best thing to do is do not leave the woods if they are still out. I know a couple of fox hunters out here that will leave and come back the next morning. Thats fine with the older dogs but the young dogs that fall out usually end up on a road and picked up by some pot grower or anti hunter out here. I had a dog picked up last year and and its signal was fading fast so I got down the road in a hurry to find a family leaving with my young hound. They swore they were going to call when they got to town but they sure didn't look at my collars which also say, "HUNTING DOG. DO NOT PICK UP."

[dllhoundcompany]

Just like what Tim Lockwood stated.

Micro chip can help in retrieving you dog from the pound when the dam tree huggers pick them up.

If you dont freeze brand them then Chip them.


Also anybody in the RIO RANCHO NM area freeze brand drop a PM

All my dogs are chipped and every year I go in to get there shots the chip is checked by the vet.
DLL

[Tim Lockwood]

Something else to add as far as branding goes. I've started branding my dogs on their bodies because I have heard that some of these dog thiefs are cutting the branded ears off and selling the dogs anyway. Its probably not very bad where most of you are but where I'm at we have a lot of problems with anti hunters, etc.

Take pics, chip and brand those dogs!!!!!

[diego25Jaramillo]

$10 a dog for a microchip isnt that bad. I thought that would cost more.

[Mr.pacojack]

Something else to add as far as branding goes. I've started branding my dogs on their bodies because I have heard that some of these dog thiefs are cutting the branded ears off and selling the dogs anyway.

I do the same thing Tim

[FullCryHounds]

Also check some of the animal rights type "clinics" that put on these cheap spay/neuter and vacination clinics. Often, they also do micro chips cheap. I paid $15 per dog. The micro chips are now a nation wide database so even if your dog ends up across the border, you still at least have a chance of some day getting it back even in several years.

[southwestwalkers]

$85 office visit, chip and chipping...... time to take take a course as a vet assistant...lol