Microchips

ABCANTRA recommends having a microchip implanted in your pet for its safety and your peace of mind. The identifying chip will last the lifetime of your pet, and is very reasonably priced.

What is Micro chipping?
Micro chipping is the act of inserting an electronic chip, about the size of a grain of rice, under your dog's skin. The electronic device is harmless and will remain a permanent identifier for his entire lifetime.

Where do the chips come from?
The chips may be manufactured by any number of manufacturing companies. The two most popular brands manufactured in the United States are AVID, and Home Again, and are comprised of a unique nine digit number, and operate at a frequency of 125kHz. The chips used for identification in European countries are also known as ISO microchips, but, contain a unique 15 digit identifier, and operate at a frequency of 134.2 kHz.

How does it work?
The chip is inserted between the shoulder blades by means of a needle. Once inserted, the chip may be identified by use of a scanner passed over the dog's skin. When the chip is detected, it will read the unique number assigned to the chip. The chip is cross referenced by its number, which in turn will identify the dog by name and breed, as well as his owner, owner's registered address and phone number.

How will they find me?
When the chip is inserted, the individual providing the service must maintain a record of each chip used. That record will be correlated to the name of the dog, date of birth, and breed identification, as well as, the name, address, and phone number of the owner. When the chip is read, a contact is made with the chip manufacturer or tracking service so the dog may be safely returned to its owner.
The manufacturer maintains a record, by Lot Number, as to which distributor purchased that lot of microchips. The distributing company maintains a record of the individuals purchasing the entire lot, or the chips purchased from that lot. In turn, the individual that purchased the chips has all the information. In this way, any dog that is microchipped may be traced back to its owner.
There are registries and tracking companies that will maintain a record for you. When the chip is inserted into your dog, you are presented with a form that you may fill out and send in along with a small fee to have you as the initial contact, eliminating going through the entire process.

Does it really work?
Yes. During hurricane Katrina, a great number of dogs were separated from their owners. One of them was a dog that I had microchipped. Keeping in mind that Katrina was a major disaster for the people living in Louisiana, the impact on animals was even greater. Dogs were being picked up and placed in makeshift shelters and sent around the country. One such dog was a Catahoula that ended up in California. I was contacted with the identifying chip number, and via my records was able to re-unite this dog with his owner.

Doesn't a collar with tags provide the same protection?
A tag on a collar is the same as the locks on your house. It keeps honest people honest. Although illegal to do so, anyone can remove a collar and dispose of it. The problem with tags is that they get caught on objects and fall off. Many owners will place the name of their dog on the tag as a means of its being identified. Anyone finding your dog now knows its name. Proving that the dog belongs to you can become a major ordeal, and costly. A microchip is implanted and cannot be removed without performing a major operation. You, the owner, can identify your pet by the unique number assigned to the chip which makes reclaiming your pet much easier.

ABCANTRA can microchip your dog for you for only $30.00 per chip.
For more information on microchips, please utilize our Contact Form or call 985 892 6773 between the hours of 8 am and 9 pm CST. If we miss your call, leave us a message and we will respond within 24 hours. The facility is closed on Tuesday, Sunday, and Holidays.