Be sure to update your pets Microchip!

Many people get microchips implanted in their pets to make it easy to get them back if they should run away. But if pet owners don’t update that information when they move or get a new phone number, it makes the microchip useless.

A purebred boxer was found wandering the streets and is now up for adoption at the San Jose animal care center. Shelter operations supervisor Staycee Dains knows he has an owner. With one scan she found an ID microchip implanted between his shoulder blades.

Staycee Dains, Shelter Supervisor - “They gave us a name and an address that’s outdated.“

Same with this poodle. He has a microchip too, but it was never registered. Shelter staff say it’s a problem they encounter in 80 percent of all microchipped pets picked up as strays.

Dains - “Most of the time, the microchips do not have updated information on their owners.“

It’s the reason this cat is sitting behind bars instead of in her owner’s lap. For some pets, it can mean the difference between life and death.

Dains - “There have been cases where we had to euthanize dogs that had been microchipped but have no information and that’s a very sad situation.“

Another problem? People register their pets initially but then forget to update their info when they move or get a new cell phone.

A study published in the journal of the American Veterinary Medical Association found after checking hundreds of microchipped anuimals, 40 percent of them were not registered in any database.

This is my dog Midas. I had him microchipped years ago, but I wasn’t sure my current information was in the database. So I decided to check. It’s something you can do too at your local vet or shelter.

It turns out the information was accurate. Nels Miller has had his dog Shelia since she was a pup.

Nels Miller, Dog Owner - “I couldn’t live without her. Now she’s something.“

He recently had her microchipped.

Miller - “I feel it’s there for a reason. Hopefully it does work.“

Animal control officers say microchips do work…if the information is accurate owners are reunited with their beloved pets 100 percent of the time.