Originally posted by cali
I dont like that. I dont like microchips, I like tatoos MUCH better, and I will certainly never microchip, Ripley has been found from a tatoo, if he were microshiped instead we would not have gotten him back until the long weekend was over, because the shelter woul dhave had to pick him up and scan him, and it was just about closing time before the easter long weekend, however because he is tatooed the person who found him simply called the shelter relayed the tatoo and the shelter called us, told us who he was with and where to pick him up, he would have been gone for 3 days if he were microshiped instead.
But he would have gotten to you eventually. I can understand your point, but now I will explain why I do not like tattoos.
Clipse is tattooed on his flank. I think the first reason I don't like tattoos can be explained by these pictures (they're a little "x-rated" LOL )




Can you see his tattoo??? No of course not. Even with the hair shaved (I sometimes shave out his groin when I feel like it) you can't see anything legible. Plus shelters aren't going to run around shaving every hairy dog's groin to see if they are tattooed. Also some bad things about the flank tattoo is that some people are scared of bigger tough looking dogs, so they sure aren't going to volunteer to go flip that dog over and look for a tattoo. Also lots of lost dogs are scared and wouldn't appreciate a stranger trying to roll them over.

Now Clipse also has an ear tattoo that he got when he was neutered.



It too is hard to read. But it is legible if you study it hard enough (sorry the pic isn't that great). The trouble is that tattoo only applies to the city I live in. If I was travelling, say to BC and he got lost they probably wouldn't be able to trace his tattoo back to my city. And the same thing goes as for the flank tattoo, some scared dogs might not let a stranger look closely in their ear.
Emily has an ear tattoo as well and it is much more clear. I tried to get a pic of it, but it's quite deep in her ear and I couldn't get the angle right.

Now of course there are downsides to microchipping. You need the right brand scanner to read the right brand chip. I think this is more of a problem in the States though. Most scanners will show evidence of there being a chip though even if they can't read the number.

Anyways sorry this turned out so long, but those are just my opinions