This essential discussion should be referenced in new posts about microchip scanning at vet offices for all intakes.
It is sad (but telling) to read Amanda's observation that most private veterinarians do
not have ORE dogs scanned prior to performing euthanasia. Why not?
Clinic staff are not compensated for the time to scan and check a chip database?
Concern about offending an established or potentially new client?
There have been several confirmed instances where rescues have pulled healthy dogs from large municipal shelter systems (where all dogs are microchipped upon placement) for screened fosters who requested to care for a specifically posted dog. Then, if that dog was not a good fit or became fractious (typically due to not following rescue guidance about decompression time and slow introductions) the dog was brought to a private veterinarian for euthanasia without first contacting the rescue, violating the "Return to us if you can no longer care for..." clause of the foster contract.
As the microchips were not checked (which would have tracked back to the rescues) healthy dogs were put down. The rescues only found out after-the-fact doing a routine progress check, often requiring some persistent detective work to expose that fosters had been concealing the true status of their foster.
No method of foster screening is perfect. No shelter dog behavioral assessment is perfect. Microchip searches can yield only dead ends.
But still, there is no ethical justification for private veterinarians
not to scan microchips to prevent such tragic occurrences. In the absence of an amendment or clarification to existing
Principles of Veterinary Medical Ethics (see attached), advocates can work with state-level legislators to propose and enact changes to Dog Law statutes.
#microchipscanningdogs #euthanasia #vetoffice #dogfoster
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Greg Smalley
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