Rayleigh vets urges people to microchip pets after surge in strays (From Southend Standard)

YourVets24 in Brook Road, Rayleigh, sees 40 per cent increase in strays

12:20pm Thursday 11th October 2012 in Echo News By Emma Thomas

A VET is urging more people to have their pets microchipped after seeing a massive increase in strays.

YourVets24 in Brook Road, Rayleigh, has seen a 40 per cent increase in the number of cats and dogs brought in.

Customers handed in 260 animals over the last year and Michelle Warwick, practice manager, said: “We’ve seen a notable rise in the number of people bringing in suspected stray pets and this is to be expected as we’re an integral part of the community for many animal owners. We can however only really be effective if the animals are microchipped, as this is the only way of successfully reuniting a lost pet with its owner.

“It’s difficult to attribute a single cause for this increase, but some animal charities believe that the recession is to blame for people not being able to look after their animals anymore.”

Microchipping is a simple process where a microchip with a unique code is inserted under the animal’s skin. When scanned, the chip can be matched to the owner’s contact details.

Michelle added: “Losing a pet can be extremely traumatic for both owners and their pets, and I would urge any animal owner that hasn’t invested in a microchip to do so and take advantage of our offer, as it can alleviate a lot of unnecessary stress.”