How does it work?
The pet owner's contact details relating to each number are logged on a central database, so should the pet ever go missing or be stolen it can be scanned by the authorities and reunited with their owner.
By law, all dogs in the UK must be microchipped and registered by the time they’re 8 weeks old. Currently in Northern Ireland, you can choose to microchip your cat, but it gives you a much better chance of finding your pet if it’s lost or stolen.
Your pet’s microchip must be fitted by a trained professional, such as your vet.
What happens when your dog or cat is microchipped
Your pet’s microchip contains a number, which will show up whenever your dog or cat is scanned. You should make sure that your pet is registered on one of the following databases (they all meet government standards):
- AnimalData
- Animal Microchips
- Animal Tracker
- Chipworks
- HomeAgain
- Identibase
- Lost Paws
- MicroChip Central
- MicroDogID (racing greyhounds only)
