Should You Microchip Your Pet?
Tech Talker explores a high-tech solution to keep your furry friends safe. Check out the latest in RFID microchips.
I was recently at the vet getting my cat a check-up and had a really interesting conversation with the doctor about a trend that has been becoming more and more popular lately: implanting microchips into pets.
In case you’re not familiar with what I’m talking about, veterinarians and animal breeders will often offer a service to implant a microchip into your pet for the purpose of finding your pet if it ever goes missing. This may sound extremely futuristic and complex, but it’s really not.
Let’s discover how RFID can help keep track of your four-legged friend.
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What Are RFID Microchips?
First of all, let’s review some background info. The microchips that are implanted under the skin of an animal are known as RFID microchips. RFID simply stands for Radio Frequency IDentification. These work off the same technology that is used in ID cards that many buildings use for access. You may even have one of these on your key ring or in your wallet.
What’s pretty incredible about RFID technology is that it doesn’t require a battery to operate. You may be thinking “Wait a minute, how can you transmit a radio frequency without a battery?” Well that’s the magic of RFID. It is a passive type of technology. RFID requires two parts: a RFID tag and an RFID reader.
The reader emits a radio signal that is used to power the RFID tag wirelessly. Once the tag is powered up, it will emit a signal that is then read by the reader. This signal will provide some unique information specific to that card.
That information is what is used to match your missing pet with you, or to allow you into a building. This whole process takes a fraction of a second and it means that RFID tags can be extremely small and portable. Batteries are extremely bulky and often contain a lot of not-so-great chemicals. You don’t want them anywhere near your pets!
Will the Microchip Hurt My Pet?
So how small is it exactly? Well the entire antenna, microchip, and full assembly (including the case) is about the size of a grain of rice. It is contained within an extremely strong glass capsule that is implanted just under the skin of your pet. It’s pretty much the same thing as getting a shot, and seems to only provide a momentary discomfort. From everything that I’ve seen, the animals don’t even notice that there is a chip inside them.
This capsule will remain implanted in your pet for their entire life. This is even more amazing, because it’s a one-time procedure that can give you peace of mind. Should your pet ever get lost, the chip will help get them back home.
Now, there’s a popular misconception that I’d like to clear up…..
How Does the RFID Microchip Work?
When people hear about microchipping their pets, they often think of being able to track their animal’s location on a map. That is not the case. An RFID microchip is not like GPS. You won’t be able to open up your smartphone and track Bowser as he roams the neighborhood. This is because there is no location data in the chip at all (and even if there were a GPS unit within the chip, there’s no way to power it).
GPS takes quite a bit of power to work and it’s definitely not something that can be fit into a glass capsule the size of a grain of rice.
Instead, the RFID chip contains a unique identifier, sort of like a social security number or a serial number. It’s unique to whatever it is identifying. When an animal is lost and brought to a veterinarian or a shelter, it is first scanned for an RFID chip. If a chip is found, it will respond back with the unique identifier.
This unique number is then typed into a computer database and from there it is matched up to the owner’s information so the pet and owner can be reunited. What I find very interesting is that only the unique number assigned to the chip would be available via a scanner (not the owner’s complete information). This is a pretty great safety measure.
What I really like about the chip as opposed to the old fashioned collar is that there’s virtually no way for my cat to remove the chip. If she ever ran away, there’s a risk that her collar could come off. However, with this microchip I can rest assured that she will have her contact information with her always.
The Chip Is Only Good if the Database Is Up to Date
All that being said, it is extremely important that you keep all of the information in the database up to date so that if your animal is picked up and scanned, they can be returned to you. The microchip would be pretty useless if it didn’t reflect your current address or phone number.
And here’s the great part: You can update your contact information online without having to do anything to your pet! So even though the information in the database changes, the unique ID tag in your pet doesn’t have to be updated ever (no needless needles)
Other Uses for the RFID Chip
Now that your pet has a unique radio device implanted in them, it’s time to get to experimenting!
No, not really, but there are some interesting products on the market that make use of the microchip in your pet.
For example, a company called SureFlap makes cat doors and food dispensers that are locked onto your pet’s RFID chip. What’s awesome about this is that the RFID chip acts as your animal’s key to your home or to their food.
Say you live in the country where there are plenty of wild animals out and about. It may not be the best idea to leave a cat door open since you risk an opossum or raccoon sneaking in to raid your carbage can. With the SureFlap door, that’s not a possibility because the door will only unlock in the presence of your pet’s RFID chip. You can also program the door for certain hours, certain pets, or for one way access.
The RFID bowl is another pretty great idea, especially for households with multiple pets because it allows your pet to only eat out of their own bowl. If you have a cat that really needs a certain diet and a dog that inhales the cat food as soon as it’s poured into the bowl, the RFID dispenser might be the answer. The bowl scans each pet’s RFID chip to match the animal with the bowl so that no animal can eat another’s food.
I hate to say it but if I had this device in college to prevent some of my roommates from eating all of my stuff, it would have prevented a lot of headaches. (Yes, Tim, I’m talking about you!)
Well, that’s it for today! Be sure to check out all my earlier episodes at quickanddirtytips techtalker. And if you have further questions about this podcast or want to make a suggestion for a future episode, post them on Facebook QDTtechtalker.
Until next time, I’m the Tech Talker, keeping technology simple!
Cat Microchip photo courtesy of Shutterstock
Dog Microchip photo courtsey of Shutterstock
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About the Author
Tech Talker demystifies technology and cutting edge devices so that even the most tech illiterate can understand what’s going on with their computer or gadget — and what to do when something goes wrong.
