Injectable microchips to monitor pet dogs, Cebu firefighters awarded for saving cat

The Department for Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries in Cebu City has found a way to promote responsible pet ownership by injection microchips on the shoulder blades of dogs and other animals registered with the office.

An international animal welfare meanwhile awarded five Cebu City firefighters for saving a cat during a conflagration.

Dr. Alice Utlang, Dept. of Veterinary Medicine and Fisheries (DVMF) head, said that the availability of the microchip will make it easier for her office to especially the owners of dogs who has bitten someone.

The microchip with contain a 15-digit code which they will match with records at their office.

“The use of the microchip is much better than a dog collar or tag because a dog tag can be transferred to another pet anytime,” said Utlang.

Having the microchip will also make it easier to identify and locate owners of lost and found pets.

Dr. Mayen Yao of VetAID yesterday donated 10 microchips and a RFID scanner to Utlang to test the efficiency of the technology. VetAID is a company that produces veterinary products.

Microchips were tested on Bunny and Dora, two dogs which were turned over to DVMF and included in their adopt a dog program. The demonstration was done at the mayor’s office conference room at the City Hall.

The microchips were contained in a needled with a tip that has a diameter of at least one millimeter big.

Yao said they sell their product at P450 each. If pet owners avail of this from the vets, having the microchip injection will already cost P600 to P700.

“The microchip is for lifetime use. There is no allergic reaction and its 100 percent safe,” she said.

Utlang said that if pet owners register their dogs and other pets with DVMF they will only be paying an annual fee of P150 but will already avail of all their services including the microchip injection.

DVMF, she said, has set aside P450,000 for the program in their 2012 budget. But it took them sometime to find a microchip supplier.

Meanwhile, the Humane Society International (HSI) gave out special recognitions to Cebu City firefighters for saving the life of a cat while they responded to a fire in sitio Panagdait in barangay Mabolo on June 13, 2012.

Rey Camuta HSI Philippine Manager handed out certificates to SFO1 Giberto Solon, FO3 Stephen Prieto, FO3 Fernando Rota, FO3 Ramiro Nabua and FO3 Noel Minoza.

Solon said the cat was trapped on the ceiling of a burning house. He said that he detached a portion of the ceiling to give the cat a passageway.

Another certificate was also handed to Dr. Jessica Maribojoc, a DVMF veterinarian who is in charge of the rehabilitation and the care of stray and abandoned dogs which they later put up for adoption.