Make microchipping mandatory

All it takes is a one-second opportunity—a rusty gate latch, a loose fence board or a screen door left slightly ajar—combined with natural curiosity about the neighbor’s garden, or the prey drive to catch that pesky squirrel, for Fideaux and Minou to escape on an adventure. By the time horror-stricken owners discover the disappearance, they are frequently left wondering what to do and if they will see their precious pets again

Few Baton Rougeans think to search there because of its remote location from their homes. How could a lost pet near Wax Road or O’Neal Lane possibly land in a shelter across from the airport in just a few hours? The answer: One phone call from a concerned citizen, a catchpole and big white truck with an Animal Control insignia.

Every day, an average of 20 to 47 animals arrive at the city’s animal shelter. Since Companion Animal Alliance (CAA) took over the shelter management in August 2011, the live release rate has increased. However, undoubtedly, there are owned animals without identification who never make it home.

According to existing ordinances, all dogs and cats must be registered and receive a license from the Animal Control & Rescue Center and vaccinated annually against rabies by a veterinarian. Violators risk incurring a $50 fine. Why not update the rabies requirement with a mandate for a microchip?

Several states in Australia, Malta and Northern Ireland require it. Riverside, Calif., New York and Indianapolis are considering similar legislation.

About the size of a grain of rice, these computer chips are implanted by a veterinarian with a syringe between the animals’ shoulder. Office staff can enter the owners’ data into the microchip company or city’s database.

Perhaps, mandatory microchipping could work like the current rabies program. A microchip registration fee—maybe $5 to $10—would be paid to the city for the chip, and vets would charge an additional implantation fee. Pet owners would then be left to price shop to determine where to have their pets microchipped. Most would probably opt for the procedure done during a regular annual vet visit.

There might be an annual fee to confirm or update information; a one-time, lifetime fee available for spayed/neutered animals; or, multi-pet discount. Low-income owners would be able to apply for a subsidy.

A quick survey of local vet’s offices shows prices for microchipping varies from $15 to $75. But, those rates might decrease as the volume of people seeking those services—some of whom could be potential new clients—increases.

Already, other metropolitan areas charge a licensing fee for metal registration tags in addition to the cost of rabies vaccination. In Houston, for example, pet owners must submit their proof of vaccination and $60 per unaltered animal and $20 per altered animal to the city shelter each year. There is a significant discount for senior citizens and special rates for breeders, kennel owners and individuals seeking dangerous dog permits. The city even tacks on a $10 late fee if the vaccination expired 30 days prior. Outside the city limits in Harris County, pet owners pay a $25 annual licensing fee per unaltered pet, or $15 lifetime tags are available for altered pets.

However, microchips are a better investment. Unlike collars and tags, chips cannot be lost. When Animal Control officers find a stray, they can scan the animal in the field and return him or her to the owner instead of impounding the animal, or at least leave information on the owner’s door, call or email. So, lost pets are returned home expediently, and many never enter the shelter.

Furthermore, even at a low cost, microchipping can provide a significant source of revenue to the underfunded shelter. While CAA is mandated to accept all animals parish residents bring to the shelter as well as strays, the city-parish allocates approximately $5.07 per resident to fund animal control and sheltering services. That figure falls perilously below the 2009 national average of $8 and well below Lafayette, Alexandria and Shreveport’s funding.

If even a third of the estimated 236,900 cats and dogs in the parish received microchips and the shelter received a $5 fee for each, that represents $390,885 in new revenue to care for truly homeless animals confined at the facility.

Also, the faster return home of lost, owned animals results in savings. Fewer animals impounded should decrease the shelter population and, consequently, its food, medical care and staffing budgets.

Microchipping even benefits Capital City residents without pets. From a public health perspective, fewer animals roaming the city means the incidence and risk of uncontrolled breeding, dog bites and annoyance by nuisance animals all decrease.

And, with the possibility of a microchip with GPS capabilities on the horizon, owners may soon have the ability to locate lost pets on themselves. Then, even more curious kitties and adventure hounds would safely be homeward bound.

Click here to see some of the adorable animals at the city’s shelter, and click here for this week’s City Lynx.