It doesn’t take more than a second – a door left open while you bring in the groceries, a child running through the gate leaving it unlatched, or a neighbor at your door – and your pet is gone.

Some pets don’t get far, others do find their way home, but for the millions of other unidentifiable pets that go missing each year the chances of a happy re-union are not good. Less than a quarter of all lost and abandoned pets that are brought to animal welfare organizations each year are ever re-united with their families. Why? Because the animals are not identifiable, they have lost their collars or tags or, their tattoo is not legible. There is only one truly permanent form of animal identification – microchipping.

Why microchip?

Each year millions of lost and abandoned animals are taken in by animal welfare organizations across North America. Of these animals only 14% of the dogs and 4% of the cats (estimated figures) are ever returned home. 30 to 60% of lost pets in shelters are euthanized because they cannot be properly identified and returned to their owners. Microchipping offers pet owners the only truly permanent method of identifying your pet and linking the animal back to you, the owner. If you want to improve your pet’s chances of getting home in a lost pet emergency – microchipping is your best option.

What if I lose my pet?

If your pet is chipped, call 24PetWatch immediately at 1-866-597-2424 (or the respective microchip database if chipped with another brand). The Lost Pet Recovery Specialists on duty will fill in a lost pet report, check for any corresponding pets found and conduct a real time search for your pet in over 500 animal welfare organizations across North America. We recommend you file a lost pet report with your local humane society and check their found pets regularly. We also suggest you visit the Missing Pet Partnership and 24 Pet Watch for information on recovering your lost pet, including lost pet behavior, how to live-trap, making posters, and more. Also check for found pet listings and list your lost pet ad for free in the Madison Newspapers lost/found classified listing.

How are pets microchipped? Will it hurt?

Animal microchips are about the size of a grain of rice and are typically implanted just beneath the skin between the shoulder blades by a veterinarian or trained member of an animal welfare organization. The process is similar to a vaccination and most animals do not react when the microchip is implanted. Once implanted the microchip remains just beneath the skin for the rest of the animal’s lifetime, a permanent form of identification.

How much does the microchip cost?

Microchipping with Angel’s Wish costs $20 per pet at our microchipping clinics, which are open to the public. Please see our Events page for dates, times, and locations. This is a one-time fee and includes registration. All dogs adopted from Angel’s Wish are microchipped prior to adoption. Cats adopted from Angel’s Wish are eligible for a $5 discount when brought in within one year of adoption.

How does the Chip help get my pet back to me?

When you register, you provide four (4) means for getting your pet returned to you:

• Your contact information
• Your veterinarian
• Angel's Wish
• An alternate contact

Why is microchipping the preferred method of identifying pets?

A microchip provides a permanent form of identification with a unique number that cannot be altered. All pets should wear collar tags imprinted with the owner’s name and phone number, but tags and collars can come off. Tattooing pets with a number (often the owner’s social security number) is another method of identifying pets, especially dogs. However, veterinarians and pet rescue experts say tattoos can blur over time, making them difficult to read, and they can be altered.

How does the Registration Work?

Angel’s Wish provides online registration at the time your pet is microchipped-no forms to fill out and mail in. Your pet is registered before you leave. You will receive confirmation of your registration from 24 PetWatch in the mail within a few days of registration. Then, just call 24 PetWatch at 1-866-597-2424 to obtain your password to make changes online. You will also be provided with a highly visible ID tag with each microchip to put on your pet’s collar to provide external information. 24 PetWatch will contact you annually to make sure your information remains up-to-date.

Why 24 PetWatch?

• 24PetWatch carries out a real-time search for your lost pet in over 500 shelters and rescue groups.
• 24PetWatch has become the fastest growing microchip program in North America.
• Over 1,000,000 dogs and cats are now registered in the 24PetWatch database.
• 24PetWatch includes the operation of North America’s most accurate database linking microchip numbers to accurate pet owner and pet information.
• Organizations like Angel’s Wish using PetPoint are able to automatically register microchip information at the point of adoption, thereby eliminating the need for additional paperwork.
• In the US, 24PetWatch offers non-ISO (FDX-A) technology similar to that used by other US microchip providers. These chips can be read by the Home Again, Crystal Tag and AVID readers.
• Regular maintenance checks to keep your information accurate.
• On-line Account Maintenance – you can update your own information.
• Upload photos of your pet(s).
• Reasonable pricing so you can microchip all of your pets.