The Big Pet Microchip FAQ: Your Questions Answered

No. A standard pet microchip is not a GPS tracker.

It has no battery, mobile connection or live location service. It only becomes active for a moment when a compatible scanner is held close to the animal.

A microchip can help identify your pet after they are found. It cannot show you where they are while they are missing.

A GPS collar or tracker can help with location, but it may lose power, fall off or be removed. A microchip stays beneath the skin, so the two systems can work well together.)

No. A normal smartphone cannot read an implanted pet microchip.

Pet microchips use a type of radio-frequency identification called RFID. They require a compatible animal microchip scanner.

You can usually ask a veterinarian, animal shelter, rescue organisation or animal-control service to scan a found pet.

The chip itself normally stores only a unique identification number.

Your name, telephone number, address and other contact details are kept separately by a microchip registry. The scanner reads the number, not the owner’s personal information. ([AAHA][1])

The registry may use that number to find the pet’s record and contact the registered owner.

Most modern pet microchips use a 15-digit number based on international ISO standards.

However, some pets still have older 9-digit or 10-digit chips. This is especially common in countries where several microchip systems have been used over time. ([AAHA][1])

A shorter number does not automatically mean the chip is false or broken. It may simply be an older type.

They can provide a clue, but they do not always prove where the pet comes from.

The first three digits of a 15-digit chip may represent:

• An authorised country code
• A manufacturer code
• A shared code used by several manufacturers

A country-coded chip may have been implanted in that country, but the pet could later have moved abroad. A manufacturer-coded chip may have been sold and implanted in many different countries.

Country codes may only be used when an appropriate national authority controls their use. Manufacturer codes are assigned under a different system. (ICAR)

This means the first digits are useful evidence, but they are not proof of the pet’s nationality, birthplace or current registration country.

Yes, but significant movement is uncommon.

A chip may move a short distance away from its original position after implantation. This is one reason a trained person should scan carefully and cover more than one small area.

Migration does not necessarily mean the chip is dangerous or no longer works. A veterinarian can check its position and confirm that it is still readable. ([AAHA][1])

It is possible, but uncommon.

A chip has no battery, so it does not run out of power. However, a chip may occasionally become difficult to detect because:

• It has moved from its expected position
• The scanning technique was too quick
• The scanner was not compatible with the chip
• The scanner was not working correctly
• The chip itself has failed

Ask your vet to scan your pet during routine visits. This confirms that the chip can still be found and read correctly. AAHA advises regular scanning to check both the chip’s function and its position. ([AAHA][3])

Sometimes.

You may be able to feel a small, firm shape beneath the skin, especially in a small or short-haired animal. This is not always a cause for concern. ([AAHA][1])

Do not squeeze or repeatedly press the area. Ask your vet to check it if:

• The area is painful, red or swollen
• You notice a new lump
• The chip appears to have moved significantly
• You are unsure whether what you feel is the microchip

Yes.

A second chip may be implanted when an older chip was not found, when paperwork was missing or when a pet moved between countries or identification systems.

When two chips are found, both numbers should be recorded and checked.

It is also sensible to ask the relevant registries to note that the animal has more than one chip.

A second chip should not normally be implanted before the whole animal has been scanned carefully.

A microchip is designed to stay with the animal for life.

Removing it would normally require a veterinary procedure. An owner or finder should never try to remove one.

There is rarely a reason to remove a working chip. When a pet changes owner, the normal solution is to update the registration.

The number stored inside the chip normally stays the same.

The registration linked to that number can usually be updated.

You may need to change:

• The owner’s name
• A telephone number
• An email address
• The home address
• An emergency contact
• The pet’s name or status

The exact process depends on the registry. Some updates are free, while others may involve a fee or require proof of ownership.

Make sure the registration is transferred into your name.

Ask the rescue, shelter, breeder or previous owner for:

• The complete microchip number
• The name of the registry
• Any registration documents
• Instructions for transferring the registration

Do not assume the details were updated automatically during the adoption.

Check the registry and confirm that your current contact information is listed.

No. They are two separate steps.

Implanting means placing the physical chip beneath the animal’s skin.

Registering means linking the chip number to an animal and owner in a database.

A chip may scan perfectly but lead nowhere when the registration was never completed.

After your pet is chipped, ask which registry is being used and confirm that the registration has been completed.

Yes.

A microchip number may appear in more than one registry or lookup service.

This can happen after:

• A change of owner
• A move to another country
• Registration with an extra recovery service
• A registry transfer that left an older record behind

More than one record is not always a problem, but old or conflicting details can cause confusion.

Check each relevant record and update or close old registrations where possible.

No.

There are national registries, private registries, manufacturer databases and lookup services in different countries.

Not every registry shares its records with every lookup service.

A lookup service may tell you which registry could hold the record. It does not normally store the owner’s personal details itself.

This is why checking only one database may not be enough.

No.

A chip may be registered but not appear in a search because:

• The registry is not publicly searchable
• The registry does not share data with that lookup service
• The database is temporarily unavailable
• The chip number was entered incorrectly
• The registration is very recent
• The record is held in another country

A “not found” result does not always mean the chip was never registered.

Our guide Why Can’t I Find a Microchip in Any Database? explains the common reasons and the next steps.

A microchip registration can be useful evidence, but it may not prove legal ownership by itself.

An ownership dispute may also involve:

• An adoption or purchase agreement
• Veterinary records
• Licensing documents
• Receipts
• Photographs and care records
• Local law

A registry records contact and registration information. It does not normally decide legal ownership disputes.

It is better not to publish the complete chip number on social media or a public website.

Share the full number only with trusted people or organisations involved in identifying the animal, such as:

• A vet
• An animal shelter or rescue
• A microchip registry
• A recognised lookup service
• The police or another responsible authority

When posting about a lost or found pet, you can say that the animal is microchipped without showing the full number.

Ask your vet to scan the chip during routine health visits.

You should also check the registry details after:

• Moving home
• Changing your telephone number
• Changing your email address
• Adopting or rehoming a pet
• Moving to another country
• Learning that a registry has closed or changed

The chip may last for life, but the information linked to it can become outdated very quickly.

Start by checking your pet’s documents.

The number may appear in:

• The vaccination record
• The pet passport
• Adoption papers
• A registration certificate
• Veterinary records

When you cannot find the number in the paperwork, ask a vet or shelter to scan your pet.

Do not guess the number or rely on a partly readable photograph. One incorrect digit can lead to a completely different search result.

First, make sure the chip number was read and entered correctly.

Then search the number with ChipTrace. ChipTrace checks connected registries and lookup services and may also identify the manufacturer, number range or likely country.

When no registration is found:

1. Ask the vet, shelter, breeder or rescue that implanted the chip whether they still have a record.
2. Contact the chip manufacturer or supplier when ChipTrace identifies one.
3. Ask which registry should hold the record.
4. Register or update the chip when you have the right to do so.

Do not replace a working chip only because its registration is missing. In many cases, the existing chip can be registered correctly.