What happens if one morning you open your front door to retrieve the newspaper and your dog dashes through the door in pursuit of a squirrel, cyclist, or even a butterfly?
What if you're out walking and a loud noise scares him/her so badly, he takes off (of course walking any dog without a leash is probably not a good idea. Silky Terrier dogs are always unpredictable and anything can trigger them to take off).
How would you get him back?
Most cities and states require Silky Terrier dogs have tags as well as his home address, and at least his telephone number, should be on the tag.
Even if your dog has a license and tags, he may not always wear his collar, he may lose or manage to remove it. And any dog thief will deliberately remove his collar.
What then?
If you're among the most technologically advanced, your dog and you have a back-up position - a microchip or a tattoo.
The microchip is an inert electronic transponder, the size of a grain of rice.
A veterinarian can easily implant it, usually in the scruff of the neck the loose skin between the shoulder blades). Veterinarian fees usually range from $25 to $60.
Once inserted, it can only be removed surgically. Being under the skin, it is safe from weather, erosion, alternation and theft and cannot be seen by human eye. It has no battery.
More and more animal shelters are searching for microchips in stray animals taken in as well as installing microchips in the animals they put up for adoption.
Tattoos have been used for Silky Terrier dogs because they are visible and you do not need a scanner for their use. However, please note that tattoos do fade and need to be redone.
With a microchip in place, a handheld reader can be run over the dog's neck and a unique ID number identified. The ID number is called in to a national clearinghouse or the AKC that provides 24-hour/7-day service and will identify the owner who then can be contacted.
That's why it's important to report your address or phone changes to the clearinghouse/AKC so data is always current and accurate.
If you think this scenario is unlikely, please note that in 1999 only 14% of the Silky Terrier dogs taken to American animal shelters were returned to owners.
This compares to 51% of the Silky Terrier dogs returned to owners in England where mandatory identification systems exist.
Because of the large population of unwanted Silky Terrier dogs, most shelters cannot keep strays, especially adult Silky Terrier dogs, for very long. In the city I live in, adult Silky Terrier dogs are either adopted or destroyed after THREE days in the shelter.
Many foreign countries require microchips if you want to take your dog with you as your travel.
Under the Pet Travel Scheme in the European Union countries as well as Japan, Singapore, Australia and New Zealand, Silky Terrier dogs must have a microchip to avoid quarantine and travel as freely between countries as their owners.
Even if you never plan to take your dog aboard, make sure your veterinarian uses an ISO (International Standards Organization) standard microchip that is accepted in Europe. Just in case.
As of this writing, there are two brands of microchips sold in the United States - Avid and Home Again (Schering-Plough) microchip. Both companies provide animal shelters with scanners that can read any of their microchips. Home Again, Schering-Plough microchip scanner will verify if a chip of a different brand is in place, but will be unable to read the number. Avid will not identify if another type of chip is in place at this time.
There also are several clearinghouses for ID numbers. Your veterinarian will tell you which one he uses. Some clearinghouses charge a one-time fee and some charge an annual fee. The AKC has just started registering ID numbers for a one time fee.
If your veterinarian doesn't have a recommendation, call the animal shelter in the nearest large city to you and see what they use.
I use the registration service through the American Kennel Club www.akc.org/love/car/index.cfm which charges (at the time this is written) a $15.00 enrollment fee. You do not have to be an AKC member to use this service.
AKC recommends using the Home Again (Schering-Plough) microchip.
As with any newer technology, some people, even veterinarians, are reluctant to be among the first users.
There is no reason to hold back with microchips. It won't hurt your dog and if he's ever missing in action, it may save his life. |
