Dog Microchipping: What You Need to Know

A microchip is a tiny electronic chip that is inserted underneath your dog’s skin. Every chip comes with a unique code, when scanned by a reader connects to a database of information which allows your dog to be traced back to you.

The process is super simple and straightforward. Inserting a microchip can be done by a trained professional that is either usually a vet or someone who has attended a course to be able to microchip animals.

A needle is inserted into your dog’s skin, usually between the shoulder blades on the back of their neck – containing a very small chip, just a little smaller than a grain of rice which is pushed down the needle and under the skin. Once it’s there it can stay there safely for the rest of your dog’s life, and you only need to worry about keeping the information up to date! Inserting a microchip is a quick process that doesn’t need any anaesthetic or aftercare, the small wound heals quickly once it’s done.

Microchipping is not a costly procedure to have done given that the reward is the reassurance that in a pinch, your beloved family pet can be traced back to you. It costs less than even vaccinating your dog starting from just £13 with the Community Pet Clinic.

Every vet clinic will be able to offer microchips too so it’s not hard to find somewhere that can complete the small procedure. You can always tie it in with a quick health check or their routine vaccinations to make sure you know they’re safe if the worst was to happen.

In April of 2016, the government brought into effect a law that made it compulsory to microchip every dog in the UK.

The change in law was to promote good welfare practices so that fewer dogs would be found straying by local councils, with no way of reuniting them with their owners or tracing where they came from.

This means that every puppy sold in the UK should already be microchipped to the breeder and new owners should only have to transfer their details onto the microchip. It should also help to make sure breeders are responsible for any puppies they bring into this world.

In some cases, a dog may be exempt from being microchipped for health reasons, but a vet must give a notice to certify this as the case. It’s not very common for them to have a health reason that warrants not having a microchip.

Microchips are clever little pieces of technology. Each chip has a unique number that is transmitted via radio frequency. A handheld scanner can read this information and display it to the person who is scanning the pup in question. Once you have a number you’re able to search a database to find out who the chip is registered with.

There are multiple companies that distribute and register chips, so you will usually be directed to a company’s website where you have to request access to the information attached to the chip number.

For GDPR reasons, you usually have to be part of an organisation like a vet practice or dog rehoming centre to be able to have access to this information to prevent just anyone from being able to access personal details about the owner.

When your pup is microchipped, the details don’t automatically get filled in. You are usually given a piece of paperwork to fill in which gets sent to the company that owns the chip so they can store your information in the event that they go missing.

If you move home, change your name or your phone number, you will need to get in touch with the database that stores your information and ask them to update it. This can usually be done over the phone or via their website.

There is sometimes a small charge to change the data on the chip, but it’s important that it’s kept up to date so that anyone scanning your dog will be able to get in touch with you as quickly as possible. Your missing family pet could just be a phone call away as long as you keep your details up to date!

While microchipping is required by law to help care for your precious pooch, you can find everything else you need in our range of dog products available!