Is Microchipping Worthless?

[Mestral]

I found a dog in my neighborhood today. Nice, pretty, young (2year), friendly dog, similar in size and build to a bull terrier (I'm no expert). Had rabies tag, city tag. Up to date. Had a tag that said "HomeAgain" and a phone number to call. Called it. Press 1. Press 1. Listen to nice advertizement. Press 2. On hold. Person answers. Doesn't ask about the dog, wants all my personal information. Screw that. (Frankly, I don't know my cell phone number off hand, and don't have time to play games.) Let dog go.

If the owner would have had the dog's name and his or her own phone number on the tag, would have saved money and had their dog back.

[xzochye]

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I found a dog in my neighborhood today. Nice, pretty, young (2year), friendly dog, similar in size and build to a bull terrier (I'm no expert). Had rabies tag, city tag. Up to date. Had a tag that said "HomeAgain" and a phone number to call. Called it. Press 1. Press 1. Listen to nice advertizement. Press 2. On hold. Person answers. Doesn't ask about the dog, wants all my personal information. Screw that. (Frankly, I don't know my cell phone number off hand, and don't have time to play games.) Let dog go.

If the owner would have had the dog's name and his or her own phone number on the tag, would have saved money and had their dog back.

Take the dog to a local vet and they can scan the dog and get the info. Not sure if calling that number will amount to anything.

[Mestral]

I didn't have time to take the dog to the vet. I would have gone out of my way to take him home, but it was not to be. BTW, it is my understanding there are several "brands" of microchips, incompatible with each other's readers. If the vet doesn't have one of each reader, he can pass over a chip and not get a reading. Smells a bit like a scam.

[Scarlett]

I had a beagle that loved to run away. He was micro-chipped...every month or so the pound would call me...so it does WORK.

Notice I said "had" a beagle....I had to give him up...couldn't afford his bail that often!

[CenTexDave]

Awww..............Oscar wasn't that bad!!!

[xzochye]

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I didn't have time to take the dog to the vet. I would have gone out of my way to take him home, but it was not to be. BTW, it is my understanding there are several "brands" of microchips, incompatible with each other's readers. If the vet doesn't have one of each reader, he can pass over a chip and not get a reading. Smells a bit like a scam.

I think that is when they first started microchipping. I have taken 2 different dogs to be read and it was successful each time.

I always try to "help out" strays when I see them. The way I look at it is I would want someone to do it for me if one of my guys got out.

[Mestral]

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...couldn't afford his bail that often!

Yeah, everybody is helpful, for a price.

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I think that is when they first started microchipping. I have taken 2 different dogs to be read and it was successful each time. I always try to "help out" strays when I see them. The way I look at it is I would want someone to do it for me if one of my guys got out.

Where did you take them to be "read"?

I got to thinking, I wonder if the vet would have given me any info, based on the serial number on the rabies tag.

[xzochye]

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Yeah, everybody is helpful, for a price.

Where did you take them to be "read"?

I got to thinking, I wonder if the vet would have given me any info, based on the serial number on the rabies tag.

I took them to Killeen Vet Clinic because it is my vet and very close to my house. However, I believe every clinic has a scanner.

[FieryPrincess]

Sometimes the chip goes bad. That happened to my Lab/Collie mix and one call to Home Again and they sent a new one which was inserted at no charge to me by the vet. Home Again also slaved the accounts together so that IF the other chip miraculously works again, it will link to the new chip.

Our fence in San Antonio was next to useless (it seemed to only obscure the view) and our dogs were ALWAYS getting out. Not only were they chipped (which was never used) but we also had tags on them which had our phone numbers and our address on them.

More than once, I would get a message or a text that said that they put our dogs back in our yard for us (and had plugged up the latest hole).

[Mestral]

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. . . Not only were they chipped (which was never used) but we also had tags on them which had our phone numbers and our address on them. . . .

This says it all to me. The chip was worthless, but as I said in the beginning, if the dog had had a tag with the owners address or phone number, I would have personally taken the dog back to them.