Pets are always a part of the family for most people. They have always been by your side through major life changes and are part of many happy memories. You never desire for a second to lose your four-legged friends in life. To make this happen, you can insert microchips in your beloved friends that work for the identification and tracing of lost animals. When these pets are gone, instead of saying a final goodbye, you prefer to give them a proper memorial. Many pet owners opt for cremation as a final resting option to remember and honor their furry friends. Here, a question arises: What happens when the microchips inserted in your pets are cremated?
This blog will discuss the fate of microchips inserted in your pet’s skin when they are cremated. Before going into details, let us discuss the basics of microchips and the cremation process.
The Microchips and Their Importance in Pet Caring:
Microchipping is a widely recognized method in pet caring used for the identification and tracking of pets. It is a safe and effective way to help reunite lost pets with their owners. In this process, a tiny electronic chip about the size of a grain of rice is inserted under the animal’s skin. It is a painless and quick process where the microchip is inserted just beneath the pet’s loose skin, just between the shoulder blades. This microchip contains a unique identification number (code) that is registered under the name of the pet’s owner. The most important use for these microchips involves the tracking of the owner of a lost pet’s owner.
Veterinarians, shelters, and pet professionals have special scanners to read these chips and retrieve the owner’s contact information. Microchipping has revolutionized pet ownership as it has enhanced the chances of lost pets being reunited with their respective owners. This pet-caring method provides a permanent and tamper-proof form of pet identification, preventing the loss of important information in a traditional collar tag.
What Is Pet Cremation Process?
Pet cremation is a process of reducing a pet’s body at very high temperatures until it is nothing but brittle, calcified bones. It is a popular choice for pet owners for their pets aftercare. It helps the pet owners to keep their pets close even after death.
Types of Cremation Process:
Whether you get your pet’s remains or not depends upon the type of cremation process you choose. Following are the three types of Pet Cremation:
- Communal Cremation – In this type of cremation, your pet is cremated along with other animals. As there will be several animals involved in this, it’s not possible to get your pet’s ashes back.
- Partitioned Cremation – Here, your pet is cremated along with other animals, but each animal is partitioned off. You can ask for your pet’s ashes. However, you may get some ashes of other animals mixed in it.
- Private Cremation – In this type of cremation, your pet is cremated alone. Here, you can get the ashes afterward.
Basic Steps of Pet’s Cremation:
The basic steps included in the cremation process are:
- During a pet’s cremation process, the animal’s remains are incinerated at very high temperatures, around 1400-1800 degrees Fahrenheit.
- The time a cremation process takes can vary depending upon the size of the animal, but the average time it usually takes is around 2 hours. During this time, the animal’s body is reduced to bone fragments and ash, known as cremains.
- In the next step, the cremains (ashes) from the incineration process are inspected for metal objects. Any object found (including microchip remains) is removed from the ashes.
- Large pieces of bone that did not incinerate undergo a pulverization process to make it fine dust that resembles ash.
- If your pet undergoes a private cremation, the cremains are placed in your chosen storage compartment, usually an urn, box, or other enclosed container provided by you. If you can’t provide a container, the cremains are simply poured into a plastic bag and returned to you.
Average Cost for a Pet’s Cremation:
The most common cremation includes that of dogs, cats, and horses. You may have cremation of almost any pet you wish. The average cost for a single pet’s cremation varies depending on the size of the animal and the type of cremation you choose. It can be as low as $50 or as high as $1000.
What Happens When The Microchips Inserted In Your Pets Are Cremated?
When your pet is cremated, the microchip inserted under its skin is destroyed. The microchips do not survive the intense heat of the incineration process. The temperature during the cremation process exceeds the melting point of the microchip’s components. As a result, the microchip is destroyed and makes it unreadable.
Despite being entirely destroyed during the cremation process, the significance of microchipping still survives. While the chips may not survive the intense heat during cremation, the registered details associated with the microchip remain intact. Even if the chip itself is no longer functional, the purpose of a microchip for identifying a pet and tracing it back to the rightful owner is still fulfilled.
What Should You Do if You Are a Pet Owner?
If your pet is no longer with you and you have decided to cremate your beloved pet (having a microchip inserted), there are a few steps that you can take while handling the microchip:
- Inform the Cremation Provider – After choosing cremation as the final, inform the cremation provider about the microchip. As discussed earlier, microchips will not survive the incineration process, so you have to relay this information for accurate handling and documentation purposes.
- Update Your Contact Information – Before going for cremation, ensure that your microchip’s registration details are up to date. With updated information, you enable a seamless transfer of pet ownership. It also reduces the chances of any miscommunication or delay in returning the pet cremains.
- Consider Retrieving the Microchip – If the microchip has sentimental value for you, you can request the veterinarian or cremation provider to remove the microchip before the cremation process. It requires additional coordination and planning; some cremation providers might offer this service upon your request.
- Memorialize Your Pet – Regardless of the fate of your pet’s microchip, it is essential to find solace by memorializing your beloved pet. For this, you can display a framed photo or create a memorial garden in its name that can help with the healing process and keep your pet’s memories alive!
Can You Deactivate Microchips Before Cremation?
When your beloved pet passes away, another question arises: Does the microchip need to be deactivated? The answer is that microchips do not have an ‘off’ switch. Microchips are not like devices that run on batteries. They are passive RFID (Radio Frequency Identification) tags. These chips do not need to work actively. They only emit specific information when a scanner passes over them.
Alternatives to Microchipping:
Despite being a helpful method for the identification and tracing of their pets, some people tend to go for other options rather than microchipping. The other alternate options for microchipping include:
- Tattooing – This is an alternative method that involves the application of a permanent, tattoo-like marking on your pet’s skin. These tattoos are visible and do not require specialized equipment like those in microchipping methods. However, tattoos fade or become harder to read over time as the animal skin changes. Tattooing is also not appropriate for certain animals, such as those with sensitive skin or those who are uncomfortable with the tattooing process.
- Personalized ID Tags or Collars – Another option that can alter the microchips is the use of personalized ID tags or collars for your pets. These tags or collars contain contact information that can be easily read by anyone who comes in contact with the lost pet. You can find an immediate way of identifying the pet without relying on specialized devices used in microchipping.
Final Thoughts:
When our beloved pets undergo the cremation process, the microchips inserted in them do not survive the intense heat of the incineration process. However, the fundamental purpose of the microchip is the identification and tracing of your pet, which is still fulfilled through the registration details associated with the chip. To ensure a smooth cremation process and honor the memory of your beloved pet, you have to keep your microchip’s registration details up to date and coordinated with the cremation provider. Regardless of what happens to the microchips, it is the memories and love shared with our pets that truly matter!
