RSPCA: Treat your pet to a Christmas present that will last a lifetime

Tuesday, 22 December 2009 12:00 AM

The RSPCA is urging pet owners to make a worthwhile investment this festive season and have their pets microchipped.

The Society believes that microchipping is the most reliable way of finding your pet if it is lost or stolen.

The quick and painless procedure places a small chip, the size of a grain of rice, underneath the animal's skin. The owner's details and a special code are stored on the chip and can be revealed by a special scanner which is carried by RSPCA inspectors and dog wardens.

The code links to the PetLog database that contains the necessary contact information to ensure a fast and foolproof way of tracing an owner.

This means that should a cat or dog go missing, their owners can be identified more quickly and easily.

Almost any animal can be microchipped but it is most commonly used on dogs, cats and horses. Around half a million animals have been microchipped in the last five years alone.

The RSPCA's chief veterinary officer Steve Cheetham said: "Microchipping your pet provides the ultimate assurance that should your pet go missing it can be easily traced.

"Even the most pampered pets can stray too far from home and get lost or stolen and but a microchip permanently links the pet and the owner to ensure a happy reunion should the worst happen."

The procedure has received cross-party support from both the Conservative and Labour parties with plans to make the procedure compulsory for dogs next year.

Claire Robinson, RSPCA Government Relations Manager, said: "The RSPCA is very supportive of the cross-party proposals to bring in compulsory microchipping for dogs.

"It would make it much easier for local councils to deal with stray dogs and it could also be vital to help the RSPCA detect the perpetrators of cruelty.

"However, for the policy to be enforceable it would need a robust database and a requirement for owners to keep their details up to date so the policy can be developed efficiently and successfully."

Microchipping costs around £20 in a one-off payment. Various RSPCA branches also carry out microchipping free of charge on specific dates. For details of your local branch log onto www.rspca.org.uk

Case studies follow.

Cat reunited with owner after nine years

A Birmingham couple were shocked when told that their cat was alive and well and was coming home after going missing in 1999.

Dixie the cat was picked up by RSPCA Animal Collection Officer (ACO) Alan Pittaway in August 2008 in Linton Walk, Erdington. The ginger and brown cat had reportedly been in the area for two months over which time its condition had worsened. A caring local called the RSPCA asking for assistance for the thin, matted cat.

When Alan Pittaway collected the cat he scanned it as normal for a microchip. The cat was chipped, her named was Dixie, she was 15 years old and was registered to a couple less than half a mile away in Ivyfield Road, Erdington.

"It made my day to return Dixie to her owners. In 29 years of working for the RSPCA I have never seen anyone so excited and happy as Mrs Delaney. I was over the moon myself to bring their cat home so I can only imagine how they felt seeing their cat again after all these years. I hope this story will encourage more people to have their pets microchipped as if your pet is chipped then you can never give up hope of being reunited with a missing pet."

"We are very grateful to the lady who found her and called the RSPCA, to everyone at the RSPCA for their dedication in finding us and to Alan for his calm and caring presence when returning Dixie to us" said Mrs Delaney.

Taz takes a 12-month trip

An owner was reunited with her ginger and white cat after nearly a year apart thanks to a microchip.

Twelve-year-old Taz disappeared in Leicester and although he was microchipped and his owner Dean Belton sent out leaflets, Taz did not come home.

However, 11 months later he was contacted by the RSPCA who said his cat had been found only two miles away from his home. A family had been feeding him but when they noticed Taz was walking with a limp they contacted the RSPCA for help. A routine scan for a microchip tracked down Taz's owner.

Mr Belton said: "Taz only ever went out for 30 minutes at a time, so it was completely out of character for him to not come home last year. We tried everything to find him, but had given up hope of seeing him again."

Cat bolts in storm

A cat who was missing for nearly three months was reunited with his owner thanks to a microchip.

Seven-year-old tabby Jack disappeared in February 2008 in Aylesbury and, despite a poster campaign and advertisements in the local paper, owner Claire Hird's efforts were unsuccessful. However three months later, she was contacted by the RSPCA when Jack had come into a rehoming centre as a stray and he was routinely scanned for a microchip.

Mrs Hird said: "Jack went out in stormy weather in February and didn't come back. It was so unusual for him as he is a home cat and would usually only go out for half an hour at a time.

"I am so pleased that he was microchipped as I may never have seen him again otherwise."

Dollie returned after being stolen

A staffordshire bull terrier who was stolen from her owner's garden was safely returned home because of a microchip.

Four-year-old Dollie was taken by a group who entered the gated garden. Despite putting up posters in the area and contacting the police, Dollie was not found.

However, the RSPCA received a call about a dog with an injured paw who had been seen wandering nearby and, following a scan for a microchip, they were able to locate her rightful owner.

Owner Miss Whittaker said: "We tried everything to find Dollie and I was convinced she was still nearby. When the RSPCA officer rang to tell me she'd been found I was over the moon.

"I am so pleased that we have Dollie chipped as I might never have seen her again otherwise."

Smudge takes a 40-mile drive south

A cat from Norwich somehow ended up in Ipswich after going missing from his home in May this year.

Smudge, a white and tortoiseshell cat, was found in an alley way off Portman Road by RSPCA animal collection officer Amy Collingsworth, on Friday 12 June.

She took him to a vet in Woodbridge Road who scanned the hungry and thirsty cat for a microchip. It was then discovered that Smudge was from Norwich and had gone missing about six weeks ago. It is thought he climbed into a vehicle and made the 40-mile journey south.

Amy took Smudge home that afternoon where he settled back in with his amazed owners, who had given him up for dead.

Amy said: "This shows just how important microchipping is. Without it, Smudge would probably just have been rehomed, like so many cats which are picked up as stray animals as there would have been no way of contacting his owners. It is also vitally important that owners update their contact details with the microchip company if they change telephone numbers or addresses."

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RSPCA, Wilberforce Way, Southwater, Horsham, West Sussex RH13 9RS
Press office direct lines: 0300 123 0244/0288 Fax: 0303 123 0099
Duty press officer (evenings and weekends) Tel 08448 222888 and ask for pager number 828825
Email: press@rspca.org.uk Website: www.rspca.org.uk

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