As pet owners, we spend more than $60 billion each year on making sure our four-legged friends are safe, healthy and happy. Microchipping is one of the latest technological advances that helps keep our pets safe.

Microchips are permanent pet IDs. They help return thousands of lost pets to their owners each year.

So why aren’t more pets in the U.S. microchipped?

A microchip is a tiny responder ~ about the size of a grain of rice ~ that is implanted into your pet’s skin. Each microchip contains a unique number that positively identifies your pet. If your pet is lost or stolen and has a microchip, the odds increase greatly that your pet will be safely returned.

Currently, the U.S. doesn’t require pets to be microchipped. But other countries, such as Northern Ireland and the UK, have laws that require dogs over 8 weeks old be fitted with a microchip. If an animal is found to be chip-less, the owner has 21 days to get a chip implanted. If not, they face a hefty fine of $700.

As a result, nearly 85% of UK dogs are microchipped.

Microchipping should be a no brainer. The cost of having a microchip implanted runs about $50. No surgery or anesthesia is required and the microchip can be implanted during a routine veterinary office visit.

Yet, according to the American Humane Society, more than 10 million dogs and cats are lost or stolen in the U.S. each year.

Should microchipping be mandatory in the U.S.? Do you think it will help save more animals?