would you microchip your dog?

[release the hounds]

3 dogs- no chips

3 cats- no chips

should I fee like a bad owner?

[CaliTerp07]

Originally Posted by MafiaPrincess

You have to pay a yearly fee? What did it initially cost to chip her out of curiosity.

Dunno, the shelter did it for free. This was the second one they stuck in her, since the first one didn't show up on any of their scanners.

I just looked up what we pay, and it is $15/year. I thought you had to pay in order to keep the chip record active--I didn't realize it wasn't necessary! Upon further reading, I guess the $15 means that if we report her as lost, they'll send out lost dog alerts with her picture to all shelters and rescues and vets and volunteers in the area.

Not necessary, I guess...but again, even a 2% increase in the chance she's returned home is worth $15 to me!

[elegy]

just fyi, for the homeagain extra stuff, if you don't pay the yearly fee your chip will still be active and accessible, you just won't get the extra junk (fliers, free call to poison control, etc) BUT if at any time your pet goes missing and you WANT the extra stuff, you can just call them and reactivate it and it will all be available to you again for that $15.

[eddieq]

Originally Posted by release the hounds

3 dogs- no chips

3 cats- no chips

should I fee like a bad owner?

Not at all. I don't think anyone is even suggesting that.

To chip or not to chip is a personal choice. Some choose to, others choose not to.

[MafiaPrincess]

Ahh. I think the initial fee is what stops some people here. 24petwatch does chipping through vets.. depending upon the vet it can be $60 to chip or the office fee plus whatever they charge so it could be up to $120 or so. Pretty sure none of the 5 companies here have any sort of after the fact fee unless it's to transfer ownership on a chip..

Smudge got imported with the wrong version of an accepted chip brand he has a 24petwatch chip too.. CKC only accepts ISO chips.. and they aren't sold stateside. Breeder specifically asked, and was told she was getting ISO chips.. A rescue in QC offered me a chip if my vet would insert it. Even having the chip in hand they wanted to charge me $100.

So he's got an American chip. To my knowledge it functions, but he can't play in the CKC with it.. CKC accepts 4 other companies chips.. but the only way to get them is through the CKC. They are THE only retailers.. Have to be a CKC member to buy them. Love the spinning in circles..

Occasionally there are chip clinics that charge 20-40 but they aren't often. More often than not you hear that it happened.. after it happened. Way the system works here with the CKC so tied in turns me off.

My kids are pretty unique where I live. I have a billion pics. Only reason I'd chip Cider is the play CKC agility.. but it's $52 to get a PEN/ILP and whatever it would cost to chip her. Can't say as a semi broke student depending upon the month I care enough.

Heck it's Canadians on other forums claiming if you loose your dog they'd rehome it cause you suck as an owner. Not sure it really ups my chances of getting my kids back cause enough people in rescue here are fruitcakes.

[Laurelin]

Originally Posted by release the hounds

3 dogs- no chips

3 cats- no chips

should I fee like a bad owner?

If you are, I'm just as bad. We have 5 unchipped dogs.

[Juicy]

Originally Posted by Romy

But, if your dog is lost or stolen and someone cares for them for several months before you find out where they are, they are going to have pics and vet records too. A chip sticks with the animal with your info forever.

Months of pictures vs YEARS of pictures, plus puppy pictures?

Months of vet records vs YEARS of records?

Plus lost/stolen posters with dates saying 'missing since' vs you only having this dog since after the date?

[Romy]

Originally Posted by MafiaPrincess

Ahh. I think the initial fee is what stops some people here. 24petwatch does chipping through vets.. depending upon the vet it can be $60 to chip or the office fee plus whatever they charge so it could be up to $120 or so. Pretty sure none of the 5 companies here have any sort of after the fact fee unless it's to transfer ownership on a chip..

Smudge got imported with the wrong version of an accepted chip brand he has a 24petwatch chip too.. CKC only accepts ISO chips.. and they aren't sold stateside. Breeder specifically asked, and was told she was getting ISO chips.. A rescue in QC offered me a chip if my vet would insert it. Even having the chip in hand they wanted to charge me $100.

Holy crap that's expensive! Charlies breeder gave us his chip with all his paperwork, etc. It cost us $7 to take him to the vet and have the tech put it in.

Strider's we got through the low income shot clinic. It was only $23 for the chip and insertion. Then they send you home with the paperwork, and you mail that in yourself for a one time 20-something dollar fee to register it in your name. Otherwise it stays in the vets name. Which is okay too, because the vet has the dog on file with your name and address connected to the chip.

[Romy]

Originally Posted by Juicy

Months of pictures vs YEARS of pictures, plus puppy pictures?

Months of vet records vs YEARS of records?

Plus lost/stolen posters with dates saying 'missing since' vs you only having this dog since after the date?

With the track record of judges awarding custody to whoever has current custody of a dog, I would want every possible legal identifier in place. Even then it's not guaranteed (as recent headlines have shown) but I want to stack the odds in my favor as much as possible.

[dogsarebetter]

i dont see why have a chip or even an id tag on Ruckus. if they ever got away from me, no one could get NEAR them. muchless read their tag or scan for a chip. Ruckus would eat them alive.
If figure if Ruckus is dead laying on the road someone would see the tag and call me. but thats the only use for an id I can think of for him.