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Identifying the dog

Given the rising population and the fact that people are more mobile, which increases the risk of losing a domestic animal, all dogs should be properly identified so that they can be reunited with their owner as quickly as possible.

Electronic Identification

Since tattooing is not always reliable (it can be falsified or rendered illegible as it deteriorates over time), a new identification system, which entails implanting an electronic microchip under the skin by means of a simple syringe, is being used more and more frequently in Europe. The electronic chip, called a "transponder", can then be read from a distance (10 - 20 cm) (4-8 in) by a "scanner", a transmitter-receiver device that picks up radio waves carrying an individual numeric code and sends it to a reader device. Implemented in 1989 for the major international dog-sled races, this system, called "Indexel" is already being used to permanently identify several million dogs in various European countries. This new system is indelible, impossible to falsify, painless and passive and should quickly become widespread throughout the world. On January 13, 1996, an international standard was approved by the ISO (International Organization for Standardization), which was ratified by the national standardization bodies on March 7, 1996. Two standards (ISO 11784 and ISO 11785) govern the implanted chips and the reading of these chips, respectively. Consequently, each dog has an identification number that is unique throughout the world. This identification system is already mandatory when entering countries such as Norway, Sweden, United Kingdom, or New Zealand. Future generations of these chips will allow for information to be stored and read in the same way, including information on the owner's address, the dog's vaccination records and any treatment that the dog may be undergoing for a chronic disease.

René Bailly Veterinarian Chairman, French National Union of Veterinary Practitioners

Electronic identification of the dog:

The process by which an "electronic chip" or transponder, carrying a unique numeric code is implanted under the skin of an animal just under the cutaneous and connective tissue layers is called electronic animal identification or radio frequency identification. The implanted transponder then allows the animal to be identified by a reading device.

The injection:

The injection is made with a trocar that contains the transponder and an ejector that helps push the chip under the skin.

The transponder (or electronic chip):

This is an electronic device contained in a biocompatible capsule. This device is capable of storing and providing information on demand, in particular, a numeric code that serves to individually identify the animal wearing the device.

The reading device:

This is an electronic device that contains a computerized reading programme. It emits an electromagnetic wave in the direction of the chip, which activates the internal components of the chip. It then transforms these signals and imprints them on a liquid crystal screen.