Microchipping explained

Microchipping is a simple procedure. A veterinary surgeon or an approved implanter simply injects a microchip for pets, about the size of a grain of rice under the surface of your pet's skin between the shoulder blades. The process is similar to an injection and takes only a few seconds. No anesthetic is required and this procedure can routinely be done in very young animals.

The microchip is a permanent pet ID and as it has no internal energy source, it will last the life of your pet. It is read by passing a microchip scanner over the pet's shoulder blades. The scanner emits a low radio frequency that provides the power necessary where the chip is located to transmit the microchip's unique cat or dog ID code and identify the pet.

While all pets should wear collar tags imprinted with their name and the contact details of their owner these identity tags can become worn and impossible to read or can fall off the animal and that is why a microchip is the only form of pet identification that is permanent, with a unique number that cannot be altered or removed.

Hundreds of millions of microchips have been injected into animals over the last number of decades and the process has been proven to be very safe. The microchip is made out of an inert, biocompatible substance, which means it won't cause an allergic reaction or degenerate over time.

Each Microchip has a world-unique 15 digit number on it and this is read by the scanner. There are no personal details of the pet or the owner contained on the microchip and it is for this reason that registering your details with a government-compliant database such as Chipworks is vital.

Keeping these details up to date and correct is so important as these are the details we will use to contact you in the event that your pet is lost and someone finds it.