Problem with microchip alone is it requires someone to scan it to even know it's there.
Scanning is pretty much automatic, it's about the first thing that gets done when a cat is found. Collars can get lost, but the Chip of the Beast is forever.
neb: Scanning is pretty much automatic, it's about the first thing that gets done when a cat is found. Collars can get lost, but the Chip of the Beast is forever.
Scanning is the first thing that's done if it's turned into a vet or SPCA. Whether it gets that far depends on who finds it.
As I mentioned previously, (unless this has changed in recent years) in Chch if a dead cat is reported to council (e.g. hit by a car) they will arrange for it to be collected and disposed of but don't scan for a microchip so the owner will not be informed.
We've also had microchips fail on two cats. We only knew it happened because we have a microchip activated cat door, so it stopped opening for the cat whose chip died. Most people don't have these doors and would only know of a failure if a vet checks it (assuming they get an annual health check).
Yep, collars can get lost. So we always have at least one spare collar and ID tag ready to go so if he comes home without his collar we can pop another straight on.
Moral of the story: I don't trust any technology not to fail, and I don't trust people to do the right thing if it means going out of their way.
As I mentioned previously, (unless this has changed in recent years) in Chch if a dead cat is reported to council (e.g. hit by a car) they will arrange for it to be collected and disposed of but don't scan for a microchip so the owner will not be informed.
That's odd and seems like a missed opportunity to potentially find out who the animal belongs to. It wouldn't be a pleasant task to ring people and tell them fluffy has shuffled off this mortal coil. But it's kinder than them spending months wondering.
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