Give pets the gift of a lifetime this Christmas, says RSPCA

The RSPCA is urging pet owners to make a worthwhile investment this festive season and have their pets microchipped.

The society believes that microchipping is the most reliable way of finding your pet if it is lost or stolen.

The quick and painless procedure places a small chip, the size of a grain of rice, underneath the animal’s skin. The owner’s details and a special code are stored on the chip and can be revealed by a special scanner which is carried by RSPCA inspectors and dog wardens.

The code links to the PetLog database that contains the necessary contact information to ensure a fast and foolproof way of tracing an owner.

This means that should a cat or dog go missing, their owners can be identified more quickly and easily.

Almost any animal can be microchipped but it is most commonly used on dogs, cats and horses. Around half a million animals have been microchipped in the last five years alone.

The RSPCA’s chief veterinary officer Steve Cheetham said: “Microchipping your pet provides the ultimate assurance that should your pet go missing it can be easily traced.

“Even the most pampered pets can stray too far from home and get lost or stolen but a microchip permanently links the pet and the owner to ensure a happy reunion should the worst happen.”

The procedure has received cross-party support from both the Conservative and Labour parties with plans to make the procedure compulsory for dogs next year.

Claire Robinson, RSPCA Government Relations Manager, said: "The RSPCA is very supportive of the cross-party proposals to bring in compulsory microchipping for dogs.

“It would make it much easier for local councils to deal with stray dogs and it could also be vital to help the RSPCA detect the perpetrators of cruelty.

“However, for the policy to be enforceable it would need a robust database and a requirement for owners to keep their details up to date so the policy can be developed efficiently and successfully."

A Birmingham couple were shocked when told that their cat was alive and well and was coming home after going missing in 1999.

Dixie the cat was picked up by RSPCA Animal Collection Officer (ACO) Alan Pittaway in August 2008 in Linton Walk, Erdington. The ginger and brown cat had reportedly been in the area for two months over which time its condition had worsened. A caring local called the RSPCA asking for assistance for the thin, matted cat.

When Mr Pittaway collected the cat he scanned it as normal for a microchip. The cat was chipped, her named was Dixie, she was 15 years old and was registered to a couple less than half a mile away in Ivyfield Road, Erdington.

“It made my day to return Dixie to her owners. In 29 years of working for the RSPCA I have never seen anyone so excited and happy as Mrs Delaney," he said.

"I was over the moon myself to bring their cat home so I can only imagine how they felt seeing their cat again after all these years. I hope this story will encourage more people to have their pets microchipped as if your pet is chipped then you can never give up hope of being reunited with a missing pet.”

Microchipping costs around £20 in a one-off payment. Various RSPCA branches also carry out microchipping free of charge on specific dates. For details of your local branch log onto www.rspca.org.uk