Microchips help owners track pets

  • Published
  • By Nick DeCicco
  • 60th Air Mobility Wing Public Affairs
TRAVIS AIR FORCE BASE, Calif. --  As some pet owners can tell you from experience, sitting and staying are often not two of Rover's strong points. 

But should he become especially adventurous, now there's a more advanced way to stop him from living up to his name. 

Implanting microchips used to identify, track and locate pets was made mandatory at Travis in February. 

The chips can help find lost animals and return them to their owners.
"Most of the animals are as much a part of the family as kids or spouses," said Army Capt. (Dr.) James Johnson, a newly arrived veterinarian at the Travis clinic. 

When an animal is lost, an alert can be distributed telling clinics what the pet looks like and even its medical history. 

The clinic at Travis now implants 15 to 20 animals per week, but volume was as high as 100 per week initially after the mandate. The procedure can be done when a pet comes in for a regular check-up. 

"The chip is placed inside a capsule and then implanted under the skin," said Army Staff Sgt. Joe Urzua, a technician at the clinic. 

The cost for implantation is $20. There also is a $9 annual fee to keep the service activated. A civilian veterinarian would charge $30 to $35 for the same service, clinic staff estimated. 

Captain Johnson said the implantation is relatively painless for your pet.
"On the cat I did the other day, he didn't even flinch," Captain Johnson said. "It doesn't hurt any more than a regular shot would." 

The chips also allow for a level of control over Travis' strays. 

"At a lot of bases, there is a problem with a stray population," Captain Johnson said. "Now, if an animal bites someone and we have to do a bite report, we can scan the pet and find the owner." 

At Travis, pest management - not the veterinary clinic - is responsible for catching strays. Strays turned into the clinic are brought to Solano County Animal Control. 

Some strays are animals left behind when an Airman transfers, clinic staff said. Before traveling, your pet will need to be implanted. Health certificates, which vary by country, are needed for your pet before traveling. Blood testing also is available, Sgt. Urzua said. 

Other services the Travis clinic offers include well-pet exams, checkups, and minor procedures. The clinic also offers medications for heartworm disease, fleas and ticks, Sgt. Urzua said. 

Though the staff cares for government-owned animals, the staff takes appointments for between 25 and 40 pets a day, Sgt. Urzua said. 

He estimated the clinic cares for more than 4,000 privately owned pets. 

Despite providing preventative care to your pets, limited resources are available for emergency care. For major procedures and urgent care, the clinic's staff recommends seeking the assistance of a civilian veterinarian. 

"The primary reason we are here is to serve the Soldiers, the Airmen, the Sailors," Captain Johnson said. "We don't want to gouge our Airmen while still providing a high quality of care." 

The clinic is open for appointments Monday and Wednesday from 8:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. and Friday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. Non-appointment hours are Tuesday and Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m. There is a $2 fee per visit.
For more information, call at 424-3010.