Microchipping your cat or dog: what it is and whether you need it
A chip the size of a grain of rice under the skin can bring your pet home if it's lost. How it's fitted, what it does and doesn't do, and when you need one.
A collar can break and a tag can fall off, but a microchip stays with your pet for life. If your pet goes missing and is found, any vet with a scanner can read its number in seconds.
What is a microchip?
- A tiny chip about the size of a grain of rice, sealed in glass, with no battery.
- It holds just a number, which shows up when a scanner is passed over it.
- It isn't a GPS tracker. It can't tell you where your pet is; it only works when someone scans it.
How is it fitted?
- The vet injects it under the skin with a needle, usually at the back of the neck or between the shoulder blades. No surgery or anaesthetic is needed, and it can be done at a routine visit.
- It feels much like a vaccine injection and takes seconds.
- Problems are rare; the commonest is the chip moving a little. That's why a vet should fit it, not just anyone.
The number alone isn't enough
A chip only helps if the number is linked to your details:
- Ask the vet where the number will be recorded and how to update your phone number if it changes.
- Keep the microchip certificate with the vaccination card.
- Add the chip number to your pet under My pets on BesBes, so it's always with you.
- If you move or change your number, update the details straight away.
When is a chip required?
- Travel abroad: many countries require an ISO chip (a 15-digit number) fitted before the rabies vaccine. See flying with your pet from Egypt.
- Some boarding places and breeders ask for one.
- Dogs: a chip doesn't replace the licence from the Veterinary Directorate or the ID tag on the collar. See how to license your dog.
Indoor cats too
Even a cat that never goes out can slip through a window or open door, or escape during a move or a trip. And since most cats don't wear a collar, a chip may be the only way to prove it's yours.
If your pet is lost, or you find one
- Lost your pet? Give your vet the chip number and post an alert on Lost & Found. Read lost pet: the first 24 hours.
- Found a pet? Take it to the nearest vet to scan for a chip. Read found a lost pet?