Microchipping companion animals enables reunification with owners when lost, preventing the welfare costs of shelter stays and euthanasia. Understanding its welfare value motivates universal adoption of this simple intervention.
Microchipping is one of the highest welfare-to-cost ratio interventions available for companion animals. A lost dog or cat that cannot be reunited with its owner faces the welfare costs of shelter housing, potential euthanasia if the shelter is at capacity, or the harms of life as a stray. A microchipped animal that is scanned and reunited with its owner avoids all these welfare costs at the price of a brief implantation procedure. The welfare math is overwhelming: modest, momentary discomfort during implantation prevents potentially severe welfare consequences from permanent owner separation. Universal microchipping of companion animals, combined with maintained registration databases, would prevent significant preventable animal suffering globally.