PET OHANA
Microchip is key to getting back lost pet
Hawaiian Humane Society
Returning lost pets to their families is one of the most valuable services that the Hawaiian Humane Society provides. More than 4,000 stray pets each year are returned home by the Society on Oahu.
Question: Aren't a collar and tag enough?
Answer: The staff often hears, "My dog has a license on his collar, but he ran away while we were giving him a bath." Collars and tags are good but can be removed or lost. A microchip ID provides permanent identification for the life of your pet. Amazing stories of lost pets reunited with their owners years later and many miles from home are only possible thanks to the microchip.
Q: How does a microchip ID work?
A: About the size of a grain of rice, the microchip is injected under the skin between the animal's shoulder blades. Each chip has an individual code that can be read with a hand-held scanning device. When a stray pet is found by a humane investigator or brought to the shelter, it will be scanned for the unique code which points to the owner in the database at the Humane Society.
Q: Can the pet be tracked by a GPS device?
A: No, it doesn't work like that. Any found animal is scanned, and if a microchip is detected, the pet is matched to the information in the database. Registration of your pet's microchip in the Oahu database is a free service of the Hawaiian Humane Society. Pet owners who have moved or changed phone numbers should update their information. Update forms are available at the Hawaiian Humane Society, and online at www.hawaiianhumane.org.
Q: It sounds expensive.
A: Prices vary, but the microchip ID typically costs $25 and up from your veterinary clinic. In October, Love-A-Dog month at the Hawaiian Humane Society, Crazy Shirts is giving a coupon for a free microchip ID with purchase of an Adopt-A-Dog T-shirt from the Ala Moana or Pearlridge store.
The Hawaiian Humane Society welcomes questions by e-mail,
hhs@hawaiianhumane.org. Indicate "Pet Ohana" in the subject line. Or, write "Pet Ohana," Hawaiian Humane Society, 2700 Waialae Ave., Honolulu 96826.