Microchips Result in High Rate of Return of Shelter Animals to Owners
Submitted on Dec 11, 2009 (Original item from 2007)
Companion Animals | Pet Adoption, Rescue or Shelters | Pet Ownership
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Short Description:
An Ohio State University study finds that lost companion animals that have been implanted with microchips are significantly more likely to be recovered by their owners than those without.
Abstract:
Owners of companion animals that had been implanted with microchips recovered their pets in three out of four cases, according to this study by Ohio State University. In fact, the return-to-owner rate for microchipped cats was 20 times higher and for microchipped dogs 2.5 times higher than the rates for all stray cats and dogs entering shelters.
According to this study, for microchipped animals, the biggest reason owners could not be located was due to an incorrect or disconnected phone number in the database (35.4%), followed by owner failure to return calls or letters (24.3%), unregistered microchips (9.8%), and microchips registered in a database that differs from the manufacturer (17.2%).
Other findings:
- 87% of microchips were detected during scans upon entering the shelter, 10% detected during medical evaluation, 2.5% found just before animals were scheduled for euthanasia.
- 12% of microchips would have been missed without multiple scans.
- In total, the owners of 72.7% of microchipped animals were found.
Spot Check Number:
1239
Sponsor:
Ohio State University
Animal Type:
Dogs, Cats, Companion Animals
Record Type:
Academic Paper, Survey Summary
Research Method:
Print Survey
Geographic Region:
United States National
Number of Participants:
7,704 microchipped animals from 53 shelters
Population Descriptors:
Lost dogs and cats
Year Conducted:
2007
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