Dog microchipping

Although no one likes to think of their dog getting lost or stolen, unfortunately it does happen, as each and every year some 250,000 pets go missing. Collar identification tags are a legal requirement for dogs but are not the best solution in themselves as they can fall off, break, or be removed. Microchipping is a permanent solution that greatly increases the chances that a lost dog will be reunited safely with their owner. If a dog is stolen and recovered by authorities, a microchip might also provide the only means to identify and contact the owner.

There is also a legal requirement to microchip your dog. From 6th April 2016 all dogs in England, Scotland and Wales must be microchipped and registered by the breeder on an authorised database by the time they are 8 weeks old, and before they transfer to a new keeper. The new keeper must then register the dog in their name and keep their details up to date. 

In Northern Ireland, since April 2012, all dogs held under an individual dog license have to be microchipped. 

Dogs who are likely to travel abroad on family holidays will also need a microchip as part of the required identification to receive a Pet Passport. 

Any time your personal contact details change, including details such as your mobile phone number, you must update the microchip company with your new details. Changing your details at your vet will not change your microchip details, as these are held by a separate company. This is the same if you rehome an animal which is already microchipped. The physical chip does not have to be touched, but the unique 15-digit number needs to be assigned to your details rather than that of a previous owner. 

It is your responsibility to contact your microchip company to change details, but your vet can help you if you have lost your pet’s microchip number or are not sure which company your pet’s microchip is registered with. 

How to update:

1. Determine the manufacturer of your pet’s microchip. This should be on any microchip paperwork you hold. 
   
   
2. Determine which database holds your contact details. 
   
   From your dog’s microchip paperwork, or from the microchip company’s website, find out which database your pet’s microchip is registered on.  Each microchip manufacturer contracts with a specific database. 
   
   NOTE: If you do not know either the database or the manufacturer, these can be determined by the chip number prefix (the first part of your dog’s microchip number) which is each unique to a certain database.  If you also do not know your pet’s microchip number, contact your vet to see if they have this information stored, or arrange to have your pet brought in to be scanned so you can get the number. 
   
   
3. Fill out the change of details form. Each database will have a form you can fill out which will allow you to change your details. This may incur a small cost.