The following story, broadcast on WFAA-TV, points out the fallibility of microchipping your pet. Microchips are often invaluable in returning lost pets, even years later, but human error and technology limits can result in false negative readings.

In other words, your microchipped cat could be turned into a local shelter, but if improper scanning results in the chip not being detected, Fluffy could be euthanized at the end of a 72-hr holding period, just as nearly happened in the following story.

Chip problems spur pet owner, Humane Society concerns
01:38 AM CDT on Tuesday, July 21, 2009
By JONATHAN BETZ / WFAA-TV

WFAA-TV
Sammy
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GARLAND – When Rick Rush lost his dog “Sammy” (right) over a week ago, he said he took comfort knowing his black Labrador had been micro-chipped.

“I know the chip works,” he said. “The vet checked the chip in the last checkup and it works.”

But, something went wrong when Sammy was picked up by animal control in Garland. Shelter employees found the dog within hours, but they never found his implanted microchip. While Rush spent days searching for his beloved pet, Sammy sat in the city’s shelter.

“I rely on that chip,” he said. “This case, it did not work and that’s pretty upsetting with me right now.”

Millions have put the tiny glass microchips in their pets. Companies promise owners the technology helps reunite them with their dogs or cats if they become lost.

When a found animal shows up at a clinic or shelter, workers scan the animal with a wand. The small chip emits a radio signal with the owner’s information.

The city of Garland insists it scans every animal – dead or alive – that enters its facility. However, directors admit it’s easy to miss the chips.

While the chip did register when the dog became lost last year, shelter workers said they are unsure why it didn’t this time.

“Any type you have a mechanical device, there’s no surefire measure to make sure it’s going to work every time, 100 percent of the time,” said Jason Chessher, Garland’s deputy health director.

To show off the technology, shelter workers took News 8 to a display in the lobby. Initially, workers had trouble getting the wand to work.

“It’s not picking it up,” said Diana Oats, the shelter’s manager, as she repeatedly waved the wand over the chip.

It took several swipes before the chip registered.

“You have to be almost on top of it,” Oats said. “It has to be very close to the animal, if not touching the animal, to pick up on the chip.”

The chipmakers defend the technology, insisting it has returned hundreds of thousands of lost pets.

Still, the Humane Society of the United States said more needs to be done.

“There are variables and there is still cause for concern,” said John Snyder, Humane Society.

Different companies use different radio frequencies and not all scanners can read the competition. Many shelters, including Garland, do have a global scanner that can read all frequencies.

To clear any possible confusion, the Humane Society said companies should agree on one frequency.

Advocates also worry shelter or clinic workers may not be properly trained with the wands and that many chipped pets are slipping through.

“The burden to make it work falls on the staff of the animal shelters,” Snyder said. “It’s not a two-second process.”

Still, directors at Garland’s animal shelter stand behind the chips. In the past 100 days, workers said they’ve found 96 chipped animals.

“I think they’re fairly reliable,” Chessher said. “I think we are fairly efficient at picking up the microchips of animals that come through the shelter.”

After five days, Rush eventually found his dog at the city shelter, but he said he worries what would have happened, if he hadn’t found Sammy when he did.

“He’s my dog and I can’t imagine him being put down because somebody couldn’t read a chip,” he said.

You should never rely solely upon a microchip to recover your lost pet. ID tags ensure a quick reunion, and don’t require a scanner to reveal your contact information. Pet recovery services like Together Tag not only display your phone number on the tag, but also store extensive info online, including your pet’s medical history and vet’s contact info, ensuring that when Fluffy is found, she’ll get the medical attention she needs even if you can’t be reached right away.

Pairing a microchip with an ID tag is the only effective means of ensuring that if your cat is recovered she’ll be returned to you.

More Info:

The Cat’s Meow’s Guide to Pet Recovery

[PHOTOS: SiouxCityJournal.com, WFAA-TV]

See related Cat's Meow entries:

• Results of Catster Poll on Lost Cats
• Missing for 9 Months, Cat Reunited with Owner
• Bilbo Baggins Believed Shot, but Found via Microchip
• Sampson the Cat is on His Way Home after 18-month Walkabout
• Microchip Warning: Are You Registered?

This week, Karen Lee Stevens of WeHo/Santa Barbara wrote about the steps taken to house feline refugees from the Jesusita Fire in Santa Barbara.

Wilted by the triple digit temperatures last Tuesday afternoon, I made a quick stop at Costco for an icy-cold chocolate vanilla swirl.

Driving back home along Hollister Avenue, I noticed a small plume of smoke rise ominously in the mountains above Santa Barbara and thought, “Here we go again.”

On the other end of Goleta, tucked away in a grove of majestic trees on Overpass Road, it was just another day at the Animal Shelter Assistance Program (ASAP).

Volunteers at the 20-year-old, non-profit cat shelter were busy cleaning cages, changing litter boxes, and making sure each of the 75 adoptable kitties felt safe and loved while they waited patiently for a new friend to come along and say, “I’d like to adopt this one!”

In just a few hours, everyone’s lives would be turned upside down.

Fueled by high winds and low humidity, the Jesusita Fire devoured everything in its path as it raced ever closer to hundreds of homes in the hills.

ASAP President, Angela Rockwell, was downtown when she, too, looked skyward and saw smoke. She immediately called Animal Services and asked if there was anything her organization could do to help. Their response: “How fast can you get here?”

Many of ASAP’s volunteers had been evacuated from their homes, but still they came in droves, ready and willing to help the cats in any way they could. They stayed into the wee hours of the morning, tidying up and making sure each kitty had a soft bed and a reassuring scratch under the chin.

During that first night, ASAP took in more than 60 cats; at one point the following day, they accepted about 50 cats in one hour.

“We were putting cats in carriers and dog crates—anything that was big enough to house a cat, a little box, and food and water bowls,” Angela said.

“We stacked carriers from the floor to the ceiling; we used every available inch of space. We did whatever we could to accommodate every cat who came through the door. We didn’t turn anyone away.”

All in all, ASAP provided a safe haven for approximately 220 cats, all the while caring for dozens of adoptable cats who were already being housed at the shelter.

In a telephone conversation on Monday, Angela told me she was “blown away by the efforts and the open hearts of people who came out and did what needed to be done.”

She marveled at ASAP’s volunteers—who didn’t have any kind of formal disaster training—as they took evacuees by the hand and walked them through the process of checking in their cats.

“Just seeing the relief on people’s faces, knowing that their cats had a safe place to go; it was…hard to describe,” Angela said, her voice filled with emotion.

“It just means so much to be able to help people and be a part of a community like ASAP.”

As I thanked Angela for all she’d accomplished on behalf of the fire’s most vulnerable victims, she was quick to point out that it wasn’t the effort of one, but the toil of many that made an enormous difference for the animals.

“Hundreds of people came together to make all this possible,” she said. “I get to brag about ASAP because we did it without the support of a national charity or a big budget. We did it from a true, community-based grassroots effort. I’m very proud of that fact.”

If you would like to contribute to ASAP’s ongoing financial needs, please send a donation to ASAP, PO Box 357, Goleta, CA 93116. Send your thoughts to Karen Stevens at karenleestevens@cox.net. For more columns, visit allforanimals.com/forpetssake.html.

• Read the full article here.

Do you have a disaster plan for your cats in case of an emergency? If you’re not home when disaster strikes, your pets could survive the disaster, but might not be reunited with you if they’re not chipped and tagged. A traditional tag with a phone number or address won’t help if your home is destroyed and your phone is out of service.

The Together Tag pet recovery service, developed by Catster in partnership with the American Red Cross, is an innovative pet ID and recovery service that functions as a stand-alone solution or as a complement to your pet’s existing microchip. You can provide out-of-area contact info, medical info, and more, ensuring that if your pet is found, you’ll be reunited as quickly as possible.

See related Cat's Meow entries:

• Help Arrives in L’Aquila, Italy for 4-Legged Quake Victims
• Last Chance to Save $5 on Your Together Tag
• Limited Time Offer: $5 off Together Tags
• Stay Together with Together Tags
• Going the Extra Mile to Find Your Lost Pet

The recent devastating earthquake in Italy has left more than 2,000 domestic pets homeless. Fortunately, help is arriving, although no one can help the pets cope with post-traumatic stress that’s exacerbated by hundreds of aftershocks. Here’s the story from the Associated Press: L’AQUILA, Italy — Help started to arrive Thursday for the more than 2,000 cats and dogs believed to have been left homeless the earthquake in Italy. The national animal protection agency, ENPA, said seven tons of feed had been delivered to L’Aquila for both domestic and farm animals. Many pets and farm animals are believed to have died in houses and barns that collapsed during the quake Monday. Those that survived are showing signs of trauma, rescue officials said. When the earthquake hit, the first thing Maria Grazia Broberzi grabbed was her cat, Pallina. The cat now sits in a cage in the tent she shares with her owner in a camp on the outskirts of the devastated city of L’Aquila. She has refused to eat or drink since the quake. Every time Broberzi approaches, Pallina hisses and growls. “She never did this before,” Broberzi said. “Sometimes we argued over who got the couch, but she was always affectionate.” At least 2,000 cats and dogs are believed lost in L’Aquila alone, said Silvia Damiani, an animal rights official from Bracciano, north of Rome. Fausto Cavalieri, a veterinary student with the Red Cross, was working at tent city outside L’Aquila, which houses 1,700 people, unloading dog and cat food from trucks. The supplies also included materials to build kennels and computer chip readers to identify animals in the effort to reunite them with their owners. “There are people who lost their animals, and animals who lost their owners” Cavalieri said. Iolanda and Sandrino Tarquini, a couple in their 70’s living now in the camp, were mourning their dog, a 10-year-old black pincher named Pisolo who died Thursday morning. The couple could not get Pisolo his medication because the vet’s office was closed. And they believe the rain and chill in the tent city contributed to his death. “He had a coat but he wasn’t wearing it” said Sandrino, as his wife cried. Agricultural officials are beginning to assess the loss of farm animals. Cavalieri said many sheep and other farm animals were abandoned and will probably starve if they cannot be reached. He said he had already seen a few hundred sheep crushed in a collapsed stall. The Italian farm association Coldiretti said it was too soon to give an assessment of how many animals had been lost. Late Wednesday evening in L’Aquila, a Yorkshire terrier walked in circles, ignoring a policeman’s offer of a sandwich. “I see a lot of these poor dogs looking lost and frightened” said the officer, Carlo Chipa. “You can tell they are domestic pets because they are healthy and well-fed, but they look lost and frightened.” Do you have an emergency plan for your pets? Read the Cat’s Meow’s rundown on emergency preparedness. If you do nothing else, at least microchip and tag (and bell) your cat. Services like Together Tag not only provide identification, but also keep your cat’s medical information and the contact info for out-of-area friends and relatives online so anyone anywhere in the world can access it.

See related Cat's Meow entries:

• Saving the Jesusita Fire Cats
• Last Chance to Save $5 on Your Together Tag
• Limited Time Offer: $5 off Together Tags
• Stay Together with Together Tags
• Would You Save Your Cat’s Life with Mouth-to-Meowth?

Last week, Catster published a poll, asking if you’d ever had a cat go missing or run away from home. Over 65% of you reported having lost a cat, and sadly, over 21% have had cats go missing that were never found. What can you do to improve those numbers? Here are some tips:

• Microchip AND tag your pets even if they are strictly indoor pets. Microchipping works even when a collar is lost, and tags enable finders to contact you quickly. Pet recovery services like Together Tag guarantee that the person who finds your pet can contact you even if you’re not reachable by phone, and ensures that they have access to your pet’s medical and vet information.
• Keep your cat contained. This doesn’t mean that Fluffy won’t ever be able to enjoy fresh air and sunshine. Consider these options:
  • Install cat fencing. There are many traditional and wireless options available.
  • Build a catio to allow your cat access to the outdoors while being safely contained.
  • Get a stroller for your indoor cat. Enjoy quality time and fresh air together. Watch for the upcoming Cat’s Meow’s Spring Strolling issue to find out more about this popular option (subscribe by email so you won’t miss it!).
  • Harness and leash-train your cat. Yes, it can be done!
• If you’re still unfortunate enough to lose your cat, check out our post on Going the Extra Mile to Find Your Lost Pet.

See related Cat's Meow entries:

• Microchip Problems Spur Pet Owner Concerns
• Bilbo Baggins Believed Shot, but Found via Microchip
• Sampson the Cat is on His Way Home after 18-month Walkabout
• Microchip Warning: Are You Registered?
• Microchip Reunites Tabby with Family 3 Years Later

If you haven’t purchased a Together Tag yet, you still have time today to purchase one and get $5 off of the regular purchase price. Just go to TogetherTag.com to find out how it works and use the promo code CATSFEB09 for your discount.*

If you’ve missed our previous coverage of Together Tag, it’s a new pet ID and recovery service, all contained within a stylish, reflective ID tag. The reflective tag not only displays your contact info, but a website URL as well. The website provides a host of additional info, like emergency contacts and vital medical info. In the event of a natural disaster, even if you can’t immediately be reached, your emergency contacts can, and Fluffy can get her medication without interuption. When your pet is lost, the Together Tag pet recovery service leaps into action to help you recover your lost pet. It automatically alerts local shelters and Together Tag members that your pet is lost. It also offers a tool with which you can automagically create and print Lost Pet posters… and more!

The $5 off promotion is only good through March 1st, so check it out today!

See related Cat's Meow entries:

• Limited Time Offer: $5 off Together Tags
• Stay Together with Together Tags
• Microchip Problems Spur Pet Owner Concerns
• Saving the Jesusita Fire Cats
• Help Arrives in L’Aquila, Italy for 4-Legged Quake Victims

The thought of losing your furry friend is a disturbing one, something that we here at Catster certainly hope you’ll never have to face. But the fact of the matter is that one in three pets will get lost in their lifetime.

In response to this alarming truth, Catster, in partnership with the American Red Cross, has launched an innovative pet ID and recovery service called Together Tag. As a stand-alone solution or as a complement to your pet’s existing microchip, Together Tag is the ultimate service for keeping pets and their families together.

Visit our website at www.togethertag.com to find out how it works and why microchipping is not enough. Use the code CATSFEB09 today, and you’ll save $5 off of the regular purchase price.*

Enroll in Together Tag today ››