Lockwood Veterinary Services | Billings Montana

Microchipping

More dogs die from being lost, than from disease

Dog back in Calif. after 1,400-mile trek
Microchip implanted in dog identified pet when he was found in Texas, Dec. 18, 2006

DOWNEY, Calif. - Kobe the terrier is back with his family after a 1,400-mile trip. The small white pooch vanished from his Bellflower home last month and was found by a stranger in Denton, Texas. A microchip implanted in his neck contained his owner's information.

AVID, a Norco-based company that produced the chip, flew Kobe from Texas to California and on Thursday he was reunited with his owners, the Ontiveros family, at the Southeast Area Animal Control Authority in Downey.
“I’m really happy,” said Stephanie Ontiveros, 12.

“We’re glad that there were plenty of good, helpful people out there,” said her father, Jayson Ontiveros.

Kobe got the chip when the Ontiveros family adopted him from the SAACA.

How he got to Texas remains a mystery. A driver may have spotted Kobe wandering, thought he was a stray and took him along, animal control authority spokesman Aaron Reyes said.

AVID Vice President Peter Troesch said his company’s chips are implanted in some 2 million cats and dogs in the country. "Because of the chips," he said, "an average of 1,200 stray animals a day are returned to their homes."

At Lockwood Vet it costs less than $35 to microchip your pet. If you have a dog that likes to roam, or if you travel with your pet, a microchip is highly recommended. Microchipping is often done when the young 6 month old pup or kitten is being neutered or spayed, because it takes a large needle to insert the microchip, and when under anesthesia, is the perfect time to get that done. The microchip is inserted into the muscle tissue between the shoulder blades on the pet's back. That is so the chip will not migrate (as it would if implanted only under the skin). The microchip is registered to AVID company. If your pet is lost, the chip show your pet's AVID ID number when scanned. Then AVID is contacted, and AVID will send them to Lockwood Vet. For less than $20, you can also have AVID put your own contact information under your pet's Microchip ID number. We give you all this information when your pet is microchipped.

Remember, whoever has your pet's AVID microchip ID number on file, it is important that they have your current contact information at all times to be effective.