It appears one reason why microchips don’t always work is because shelters don’t always scan!

An article in The Flint Journal says that the Genesee County Animal Control failed to scan a golden retriever, which could have ended up in the incinerator if a good samaritan hadn’t intervened…

Gerhardt said his initial remarks were misunderstood but agreed Murphy was not checked for a microchip because he acted aggressively.

“Nothing says you have to scan,” he said Monday, noting the state law only requires the shelter to attempt to identify animals through license tags.

On Wednesday, Gerhardt said the shelter actually scans most every incoming animal for microchips unless animals are especially difficult or aggressive.

I’m upset to hear that a shelter isn’t doing everything it can to return a dog back to its owner. County shelters, and the employees who work there, are paid for by taxpayers. They have a duty to the taxpayers.

This is still the fault of the owner, relying on an invisible fence to contain a large dog, and then apparently not having a license tag hanging on the dog’s collar.

Also, microchips are not a fail-safe measure.