Why you should microchip your pet

Microchipping is one of those things, that as a responsible pet owner, you need to do. It offers you the best chance of being reunited with your pet if they were to be lost or stolen.

From 2015, it became compulsory to chip your dog before they turn 8 weeks old. Normally this means breeders will have them chipped before leaving their care and all you need to do is register that chip with a DEFRA approved database such as Animal Tracker when you take ownership.

For cats, this has not always been the case, but in 2023, it will become compulsory to chip your cat before they are 20 weeks old.

Microchipping is a quick and painless procedure for the animal. The chip is the size of a grain of rice and is placed under the skin of the animal, normally in the back of the neck. This holds an identification number.

Chips should then be registered with a DEFRA compliant database so that you as the owner, know they are meeting government guidelines. There are a few companies pretending to be a secure database but if they are not government compliant, no-one can access them and therefore, you would struggle reuniting with your pet.

Microchips can only be implanted by a qualified microchipper or even at your vets. The chips last for the lifetime of your pet and so the owner needs to keep their details up to date.

We get asked a lot why the chip cannot be used as a tracker, and this is simple - the chip is just for identification and is too small to add live tracking. Plus, a tracker would need a battery which would be very uncomfortable for an animal to have under their skin especially when it needed recharging!

Microchipping is an important part of pet ownership. If you would like more information about becoming an implanter, contact us today.