Microchipping Your Pet: Tiny Chip, Very Important Job

Collars can come off. Tags can get lost. But a microchip gives your dog or cat a permanent form of identification that can make all the difference if they ever go missing.

A microchip is a tiny electronic chip, roughly the size of a grain of rice, implanted just beneath your pet’s skin by a vet. It doesn’t work like a GPS tracker and won’t show you where your pet is. Instead, it carries a unique identification number that can be read using a microchip scanner.

If your lost pet is taken to a vet, SPCA or animal shelter, they can scan the chip, look up the registered details and hopefully get hold of you.

The part many pet owners forget

Having the chip implanted is only half the job.

The contact information linked to it needs to be correct and up to date. If you change your cellphone number, move house or adopt an animal that was previously registered to somebody else, make sure those details are updated.

It’s also worth asking your vet to scan the chip during a routine visit occasionally. It takes a few seconds and confirms that the chip can still be detected.

Does my pet still need a collar and tag?

Absolutely.

A visible name tag with your cellphone number is still the quickest way for somebody in your neighbourhood to return a wandering pet. Think of the microchip as the permanent backup that can’t simply fall off.

For South African pet owners, where an accidentally open gate or a frightened pet during thunderstorms and fireworks can quickly turn into a frantic neighbourhood search, having both is a very sensible combination.

A five-minute job worth doing

If your pet is already microchipped, check that the registration details are current.
If they aren’t chipped yet, chat to your vet about getting it done.
It’s one of those small pet-parent jobs you hopefully never need to rely on, but you’ll be very glad you did if the day ever comes.

Yours in Paws,
The PawPaw Team