
09/25/2025
*Just today, we have had 3 pets with uselsss microchips! Please make sure you understand how microchips work and that your pet’s microchip is registered and up to date!
Microchips are an amazing tool to help get lost pets back home, sometimes even after an extended period of time. There are many misconceptions about microchips and how they work so we thought we would share some general info so that you can make an informed decision if you are considering having your pet microchipped or if your pet is microchipped and you may not fully understand how it works.
1. If a pet is found and scanned for a microchip, the microchip must be traced to the appropriate registration database. The microchip number is then used within that database to find owner’s contact information so they can be contacted to get their lost pet home. The prefix to each chip usually is how the chip is traced to the manufacturer/database.
2. Microchips are not GPS trackers. Microchips are a permanent ID like a dog tag that can’t be removed.
3. Microchips are implanted, usually between the shoulder blades using a large needle that holds the microchip. The procedure itself typically takes less than a minute.
4. The microchip itself contains no information. The microchip only contains a numeric code, usually 15 digits, like a barcode. Information must be registered with a database so that the ID number can be traced back to the owner’s contact information.
5. All microchips are NOT created equal and all registration companies DO NOT offer the same services. We regularly receive animals at the shelter with microchips that are not “traceable” meaning we have the ID number so the microchip works and the number comes up when scanned BUT we are unable to match the information to any known databases so it is in fact, useless. If you are planning to microchip your pet, please consider using a name brand microchip with an easily accessible database. If your pet already has an off brand or lesser known microchip brand please consider registering with a larger well known database so the information can be easily traced. Your pet having a microchip does no good if the information can’t be traced back to you.
6. Always be sure the contact information that is attached to your pet’s microchip number is kept up to date. If you move, change phone numbers etc. that information should be updated. Most well known databases do not require an annual fee just to maintain your information but may offer additional services for an annual fee.
Feel free to reach out to us at the shelter if you have more questions about microchips or how they work. We work with many of the largest microchip companies on nearly a daily basis and can tell you pros and cons based on our real life experiences. We have exclusively used HomeAgain microchips for more than 10 years for every animal adopted from our shelter as well as our community clinics but there are several reliable companies we can share with you.