Today is Check the Chip Day, which means if you haven't already microchipped your pet [1], now is a great time to do so. The American Kennel Club's pet-recovery service, AKC Reunite [2], has helped bring more than 475,000 pets home because of their microchips, and the best tip it can offer to pet owners is to always be sure your information linked to your pet's chip is up to date. According to research, only 58 percent of pets with chips have the correct information saved in the system.

Microchipping your pet is an easy two-step process, described below by AKC Reunite.

• Step 1: Have the microchip, which is about the size of a grain of rice, implanted by your vet between the cat's or dog's shoulder blades. The implantation is quick and no more painful than having a shot.
• Step 2: Enroll your pet's microchip with a recovery service. This will link the ID number on your pet's chip to your contact information. If you don't enroll the chip, having it scanned if your pet gets lost will render it useless. The chip has to be linked to contact information in order to reunited you and your pet!

It really is that easy to help prevent your pet from getting lost forever. Just make sure to always keep your information up to date on your pet's account if you move or change your phone number.