Chip Your Pet Month on May, 2024: Do you microchip your pets?

May, 2024 is Chip Your Pet Month 2024. Dog Care 101 Tip #213: May is Chip your Pet Month May is Chip your Pet Month

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Yes I microchip my pets.

Not only is it a legal requirement where I live, I've picked up a few strays over the last few months with no form of ID on them. I took them to the closest vet to have them scanned for a chip and voila! a microchip with the owners details.

If those dogs didn't have microchips, there would have been no way of contacting the owners.

what kind of chips can i put in my guinea pigs cage?

If your cage smells, either you aren't cleaning it often enough or the cage is too small. Most pet store cages are nothing more than 2'x15" boxes and the smell can get foul really quick if you're not changing it at least twice per week. Try a larger cage, that will help.

Cedar and pine bedding both cause respiratory distress in guinea pigs, no matter what the manufacturer of the product says. They only want your money & don't care if your piggie gets sick. You can use pine shavings, but they MUST be KILN dried. It must say "Kiln Dried" on the package or they're not Kiln dried. These shavings have been heated to very high temperatures to remove the phenols in the shavings that cause respiratory illness.

You can also use aspen shavings. These are inexpensive & safe for your piggie.

Alternately, use a paper bedding like Carefresh. This is fairly absorbent and safe to use, but it does cost more.

One other alternative is fleece, but you must be very diligent about cleaning it every day.

Good luck!

New(er) rules re: mandatory 6 month quarantine for dogs to UK..?

You are correct, animals no longer need to undergo a 6 month quarantine when travelling to the UK from the USA. I know a large number of people who have done so.

a) There may be a different set of rules for the Republic of Ireland - I only know about UK (England, Scotland, Wales and Northern Ireland) laws.

b) Yes, it does matter where the dogs are coming from. There is one set of rules for pets coming for the EU and a list of certain countries (which mainland USA is on) and a different set of rules for countries considered to be higher risk for rabies.

c) Microchipping is the first step of a few required to import your animal to the UK. I have listed all the steps required below. Be aware that even if your pet already has a rabies vaccine, if it was done before the microchip was placed, it will have to be given again.

The following steps apply to travel from Mainland USA to the UK:

Step 1 – Have your pet microchipped – Before any of the other procedures for pet travel are carried out, your pet must be fitted with a microchip so it can be properly identified.

Step 2 – Have your pet vaccinated – After the microchip has been fitted your pet must be vaccinated against rabies. There is no exemption to this requirement, even if your pet has a current rabies vaccination. Rabies boosters must be kept up to date. The length of the waiting period before entry to the UK is 21 days after the first vaccination date. A waiting period is not required for subsequent entries into the UK, provided rabies boosters are kept up to date. If the vaccination is in two parts the 21 day wait will be from the date of the second vaccination.

Step 3 – Get pet travel documentation – For animals being prepared in an EU country, you should get an EU pet passport. If you are preparing your animal in a non-EU listed country or territory you will need to obtain an official third country veterinary certificate (apart from Croatia, Gibraltar, Norway, San Marino and Switzerland who also issue pet passports).

Step 4 – Tapeworm treatment – (dogs only): before entering the UK, all pet dogs (including assistance dogs) must be treated for tapeworm. The treatment must be administered by a vet not less than 24 hours and not more than 120 hours (1-5 days) before its scheduled arrival time in the UK. There is no mandatory requirement for tick treatment. No treatment is required for dogs entering the UK from Finland, Ireland or Malta).

Step 5 – Arrange for your animal to travel with an approved transport company on an authorised route – Your pet must enter the UK from a listed country or territory travelling with an approved transport company on an authorised route.