Re: microchips. I just wanted to share a story about a microchip helping a dog. A few months ago I spotted an anxious looking DIRTY golden retriever running past my place. There were a few cars chasing him but the owner was no where to be found. I ran after it also with some food and a leash and caught up to it a little ways away and met a cop there. He said he had to take it to the humane society. I couldnt let that happen, so I told him I would take him home and contact the humane society with his info so the owners could contact me to get him. I just couldnt stand the thought of a dog having to be at the humane society even if just for 1 day. The cop said he was supposed to take the dog to the vet to be scanned for a chip. There happens to be one within walking distance of my house so we walked him there and turns out he did have a chip. The chip had the vets contact info on it, and since it was a sunday, the vet was closed. So i said I'd keep the dog until monday and call the vet to get the owner.
Anyway, long story short, the cop told me when they find dogs, they always take them to the vet to get it scanned for a chip.
I immediately contacted the chip company to make sure Lenny's chip had my contact info on it.
About an hour after I left the vet, the owners of the dog called me. They had contacted the humane society and got my information. They were very thankful that I kept him. It was actually a really sad story… the dog belonged to the guys dad, who had just died. The guy was adopting his dads dog and was heartbroken when he saw that he had gotten away from the yard. He said he was out in the morning and got scared by a big clap of thunder and ran off. My house was on the way from his new home to his former owners home... I always wondered if the dog was trying to get back to his old house. 
sad.
and is hard/expensive to alter inconspicuously or obliterate.
