Pet microchipping: Over 25% of all owners don’t chip, and vets don’t check
One in five dog owners (20%) and almost a third (31%) of cat owners haven’t had their pet micro-chipped, a new study has found, and 21% of all pet owners have had a cat or dog stolen.
The independent survey* carried out by Animal Friends also found that 14% of pet owners who have had a pet stolen or go missing never got their pet back. (Independent survey of 1000 people, carried out in May 2014)
Official police data shows the equivalent of at least three cats and dogs were stolen each day last year, according to the organisation Vets Get Scanning. With such high pet theft figures, and since microchips are intended to help reunite a lost pet with its owner, micro-chipping should be an important aspect of owning a pet. However, this new study reveals that for almost one in six owners this is far from the case: 15% chose ‘I haven’t thought about it’ as the reason behind not micro-chipping their pet, making this the most popular reason given, and demonstrating a lack of public awareness of the identification method.
Awareness of micro-chipping may not be enough to secure a safe return should your pet go missing, though: Animal Friends’ study also addressed an issue concerning vets not using the microchips pets have. Currently, vets do not routinely scan animals brought in to them – something that the majority of people questioned view as wrong: 72% of those surveyed think that all animals admitted to a vet’s care should have their microchips checked. Just 21% believe the vet should need a reason, saying this should only be done if the vet is suspicious that the pet may be stolen.
Debbie Matthews, daughter of presenter and entertainer Sir Bryce Forsyth, is one high-profile believer that vets should routinely scan pets admitted to their care. After her Yorkshire Terriers, Gizmo and Widget, were stolen from her car, Debbie was horrified to hear that vets don’t scan pets for microchips – meaning that the identification devices in her dogs wouldn’t necessarily help her find them. In fact, it was only through the media attention the case attracted that Debbie was reunited with her pets. Debbie is now an active campaigner of the Vets Get Scanning petition to get vets to adopt a practice policy where all dogs that come into their practice are routinely scanned for microchips on their first visit.
Debbie told Animal Friends: “Each vet practice sets their own practice policy, which means although BVA now states it is ‘best practice’ to scan new registering pets, they don’t all have to. We started the campaign after we found out that when a stolen dog is sold on to an unsuspecting new owner, no scan would be done on registering a new pet accompanied by an owner. Microchips only reunite pet and owner if a pet is scanned. Owners of microchipped pets assume that this is already happening but it appears we are wrong. You only find out who is and who is not scanning when your pet goes missing or is stolen. This campaign is now aimed not just at vets but also rehoming centres, dog wardens, highway agencies and rail networks. It’s not hard to see why so many missing dogs and cats are never found with the lack of scanning going on.” www.VetsGetScanning.co.uk Petition to get the UK scanning:- http://epetitions.direct.gov.uk/petitions/68410
The animal insurance provider’s research found that one in ten people (10%) chose ‘my pet never leaves my side or somewhere safe like a house’ as their main reason for not getting their pet micro-chipped. Worryingly, however, recent statistics discussed by Vets Get Scanning found that 52% of pets are in fact stolen from their own gardens, while 19% are taken from people’s homes in a house burglary.
Of the pet owners surveyed, 6% had not had their pets micro-chipped because they were worried it would be too expensive – a worry that former cat owner Jayne Logan can relate to.
Jayne’s Story
Jayne told Animal Friends about Tiger, her tomcat who wasn’t micro-chipped: “I couldn’t afford it at the time,” she explained, “and besides, we had never had our cats micro-chipped previously so I didn’t see it as necessary.”
When Tiger went missing, Jayne tried as many methods as possible to find him: “I made posters, flyers and posted information about him on ‘missing’ sites. I registered him missing with all vets and rescue centres in the area in case he turned up there, and I started canvasing the streets with my posters and flyers, driving further than my immediate area, as cats do wander. This went on for two weeks and I knew he was gone.”
Jayne said: “I do think he was taken in by someone who didn’t want to give him back due to his nature and how lovely he was. I wish I had micro-chipped him now, as I carried on living in the area for a couple of years after and I was convinced a cat I kept seeing was him, but obviously couldn’t prove it.
“I think microchips are really helpful in getting pets back, but only if they are found by a vet who scans or if you find your pet and need to prove it is yours.”
Jayne is in support of the Vets Get Scanning campaign, saying: “Microchips should be the first thing a vet or rescue centre checks when they take an animal in. Someone may be looking for them, and pets are such a part of the family, if there is a way to help reunite loved pets with their owners then I am all for it!”
Hami and Tiggy
Hami Dulai is the owner of red brindle Bullmastiff, Tiggy, who went missing but was found and brought home with the help of his microchip. Hami believes vets should check all cats and dogs that come into their care for microchips:
“I think it would be great if vets scanned them, for extra security. The service they provide isn’t exactly cheap, so I believe it would be a great way of vets adding value to their service.
“I also think the police or wardens should have a device where they can scan animals they find.”
From April 2016, it will be mandatory for all dogs to be micro-chipped, and Vets Get Scanning notes that the British Veterinary Association (BVA) has now stated: “We support scanning new patients as best practice”, indicating that micro-chipping pets is the future, and that it should become increasingly effective as scanning becomes routine.
* Independent survey of 1000 people, carried out in May 2014 by YourSayPays.
Animal Friends Pet Insurance ‘Provider of the Year 2014’ http://www.animalfriends.org.uk/
