In the United States, microchipping pets significantly enhances the likelihood of reuniting lost animals with their owners. According to a study published in the Journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association (JAVMA), approximately 22% of lost dogs entering shelters without microchips were returned to their owners. This return rate increased to over 52% for microchipped dogs. For cats, the disparity is even more pronounced: only about 1.8% of non-microchipped cats were reunited with their owners, compared to 38.5% of microchipped cats .

These statistics underscore the importance of not only microchipping pets but also ensuring that the microchip registration information is current. The most common reason microchipped animals aren't returned to their owners is due to outdated or incorrect contact information in the microchip registry.

Microchip registry organizations have facilitated the reunion of over 500,000 lost pets with their owners, highlighting the effectiveness of registered microchips in pet recovery efforts .

To maximize the benefits of microchipping, pet owners should:

• Register the microchip: Ensure the microchip is registered. (www.iRegisterPets.com can help you with that!)
• Keep contact information up to date: Regularly verify and update your contact details in the microchip registry.
• Use additional identification methods: While microchips are permanent, collars with ID tags provide immediate identification.

By taking these steps, pet owners can significantly increase the chances of a happy reunion should their pet become lost.