chipped!

buster and lyla got microchipped today. basically, they gave the kitties a shot and insert a small chip into them so if they run away or somehow end up outside of my apartment and are found, they can be scanned and returned to me. it seems like a pretty bizarre thing but i can't think of any negatives here. the idea of losing a pet is quite daunting... especially in this huge city with so many places to hide. since shelters are so overcrowded, these microchips help locate lost owners without having to take on the cost (or turn away) a lost critter. apprently upon researching, they can be tattooed too. c'mon that's just super weird.

for more info: visit wikipedia
the kind my kitties received: Home Again

i didn't know this until i just visited the site, but if they are found and taken to a vet, they can scan and pull up the kitty's records if they need medical care. that's pretty rad. and if you report your critter lost, they can immediately have a network of folks on the prowl searching for them.

when the issue starts turning into 'people chipping,' i start getting majorly skeeved out. sure parents do have legal control over their children, but at some point they become of age to make their own decisions. if an 18 year old doesn't want to be found its his/her prerogative. but as for my little kitties who would want to come home but dont know how to get there, it makes me feel a lot better knowing they are more likely to come back home with the help of a little chip.

now just for fun...

from jeff's flickr when the kitties came to visit him for the first time.