Shelter receives new microchip scanner
By Gloria J. Towle
Board Member
We are so excited about the recent gift to the Central Aroostook Humane Society. On April 20, the Central Aroostook Kennel Club donated a new microchip scanner to the shelter.
Photo courtesy of Chris Robinson
Scanner donated to shelter — Members of the Central Aroostook Kennel Club recently donated a microchip scanner to the Central Aroostook Humane Society. Pictured in front from left: Lisa Obstfeld, Jane Sutherland, Riska and Leslie Gardiner. In back: Theresa Lown, Chris Robinson, shelter director; Robinson’s daughter, Anna Robinson; and Betsy Hallett, shelter manager; and Jean Morin. Absent from the photo but present for the gift presentation was CAHS board member Gloria Towle.
Lisa Obstfeld and Jane Sutherland, along with other Kennel Club members, presented the new scanner to shelter employees and board members. A demonstration on Jane’s beautiful dog, Riska — who had previously been chipped and was originally adopted from CAHS — enabled everyone to see how efficient and quick the scanner works. This gift gives area pet owners peace of mind in the event a pet is lost or missing.
This technology can be so important if a pet is found and is not wearing tags. The lost pet is scanned and if a chip is present, it will identify a registered number that will then identify the owner’s information. This technology will make it much easier to reunite pets with their families.
Louise Murray, DVM, director of medicine for the ASPCA’s Bergh Memorial Animal Hospital in New York City, says that up to eight million animals end up in shelters every year. Unfortunately, only 15-20 percent of dogs and less than two percent of cats are ever reclaimed by their owners.
The microchipping procedure takes the same amount of time it takes to give any injection. It literally takes seconds. A needle is used to place a little chip under the animal’s skin, usually between the shoulder blades. That chip has a unique number on it that can be picked up and read by our new scanner. It can be done to lots of different animals, including horses, dogs, cats, ferrets and most other mammals.
Pet owners also need to understand that a microchip is only one part of your pet’s identification system. Your pet also should have a collar with tags on it. With cats you want to use break-away collars so they don’t get caught when they’re climbing.
You can’t just assume the person who finds your pet will know anything about microchips. They might just keep your pet or give away your pet. But if your phone number is right there, everyone knows what to do with that. And honestly, that’s the most important thing you need to have on there. They don’t need to know your pet’s name. They don’t need your address. They just need to know how to contact you if they’ve got your pet — make it a number with a voicemail or answering machine.
It’s also important for people to realize there’s no identification system that will help if your animal is lost where no one can find him. So it’s important not to let your pet run loose. And no microchip can stop your animal from being hit by a car or being stolen by someone who has bad intentions.
It’s only going to help if someone picks up your pet and takes him to a shelter or veterinarian’s office to be scanned for a chip. Some people think chips are like a tracker or a GPS device, but a microchip only works if someone scans the chip.
Once they get the chip’s number, and the company that made the chip, they’ll contact that company to find the owner. And that’s one of the most important things people need to remember: the chip is only as good as the registration. A lot of people think, “OK, I’ve got this in. I’m done.” But if your registration isn’t submitted and then kept current, it’s useless. That’s been a big gap. Many more pets are microchipped than are properly registered. You have to get the paperwork and make sure that chip is registered to you, with your phone numbers. And if you move or you change your phone numbers, you have to update that information.
Once again, we want to thank the Central Aroostook Kennel Club for such a wonderful donation. This will benefit so many of the area pets and go a long way in keeping them safe and back with their families where they belong.
We continue to be so very thankful for the generosity and support of the organizations and communities that we serve. We also would like to thank Graves Shop N Save in Presque Isle for collecting cash donations and items for the Central Aroostook Humane Society during the entire month of April.
Looking for that special four-legged friend? Stop by the Central Aroostook Humane Society at 24 Cross Street, Presque Isle. Hours are Tuesday through Saturday, 10 a.m. to 4 p.m., closing for lunch noon to 12:30 p.m. Please be responsible; spay and neuter your pets!
