A Beagle gets microchipped by their vet.

5 Pet Reunions Made Possible By Microchips

According to the American Humane Association, over ten million pets are lost or stolen every year. That leaves just as many pet parents without a beloved member of the family.

Once pets are separated from their owners, they very rarely find their way back home. Estimates suggest that just around 20% of lost and stolen pets return to their rightful owners. The chances of a reunion dramatically increase, however, when pets are microchipped and registered in the appropriate database. More than half of dogs and cats with microchips make it home — clearly, the procedure is a precaution that pays off.

Microchips have helped make some amazing reunions possible. Here are just a few that speak to the incredible power of microchips.

These Pets Made it Home Thanks to Microchips

Dora in Texas

Fireworks anxiety led Dora to jump over the fence in her family’s Frisco, Texas backyard. After seven months of searching, the family was nearly ready to give up. Their hope was restored when an employee at Collin County Animal Services in McKinney scanned Dora’s microchip.

Ali-Bama in Kentucky

This two-year-old Bloodhound was found all the way in Kansas, more than two years after disappearing from her home in Kentucky. Her parents drove more than two hundred miles for a reunion that wouldn’t have been possible if they hadn’t microchipped Ali-Bama as a puppy.

Billy in Massachusetts

When Billy the Bull Terrier arrived at the Animal Rescue League of Boston’s shelter, he’d been lost for nearly four years. Needless to say, his parents were surprised and thrilled to reunite with the former show dog.

Gunnar in Pennsylvania

Gunnar escaped his Verona, Pennsylvania home through an open front door. The Golden Retriever-mix was separated from his family for more than two years when a shelter in Pittsburgh scanned his microchip. Upon their reunion, owner Joseph Karl remarked, “It was like he’d never left.”

Jasper in England

Microchips help make reunions possible across the Atlantic Ocean too. Jasper the Whippet was stolen and resold before finding his way into a shelter more than two years later. Thanks to his microchip, Jasper finally managed to make it back home.

Hundreds of Pet Reunions

The American Kennel Club (AKC)’s Reunite program is one of several national databases that reconnects lost pets with their families. Reunite’s website has published hundreds of stories from dog and cat lovers who’ve found lost and stolen pets with help from microchips. While pets who go missing for months and years make most of the headlines, you’ll notice that many microchipped pets return home within hours.

Why Microchip Your Pet?

Though they can provide a priceless sense of security, microchips don’t cost much at all. What’s more, the procedure is quick and effectively painless. Check out the video below to learn more about the many benefits of microchipping.

Don’t forget that a microchip won’t do your pet any good if the information it contains is out of date. Check your registration status and contact information regularly to ensure you’re making the most of this technology.