Microchip lookup and updating your pet’s registration

A microchip is a tiny chip under your pet’s skin that holds an ID number. It can only help your pet get home if the number is registered and the contact details on the record are current. A chip doesn’t track location and it doesn’t hold your phone number itself. When a vet or shelter scans it, they get a number and then look up who to contact. If the record is old, that call goes nowhere. Here’s how to check your pet’s chip, find the right registry and keep the record up to date.

Find your pet’s microchip number

• Check your paperwork. Adoption papers, the vet record from when the chip was put in, and shelter or breeder documents usually list the number.
• Ask your vet. Your vet can scan your pet and give you the number, and it may already be in your pet’s file.
• Ask a shelter. Many animal shelters and animal control offices will scan a pet for you. Call first to ask.
• Write it down somewhere safe. Keep the number in your phone and with your pet’s records. If your pet goes missing, you’ll want it right away.

Find out where the chip is registered

There are several microchip registries, and the number alone doesn’t tell you which one holds your pet’s record. To find out:

• Use a free universal microchip lookup tool online. Enter the chip number and it shows which registries have a record for that number, and how to contact them. Search for “universal pet microchip lookup.”
• Ask the vet or shelter that put the chip in. They can often tell you which company the chip came from.
• Contact the registry directly once you know which one it is, and ask what details they have on file.

Check and update the record

• Make sure the chip is registered to you. A chip put in by a shelter, rescue or breeder may still be registered to them. Ask for it to be transferred to your name.
• Update your phone numbers. Add every number where you can be reached, including a second contact you trust.
• Update your address and email, especially after a move.
• Ask about fees. Some registries charge to register or update a record, and some don’t. Ask before you pay, and only pay through the registry’s own website or phone line.
• Save the confirmation. Keep the email or a screenshot showing the updated record.

If your pet is lost right now

• Call the registry and report your pet lost. Confirm that your phone number and address are correct while you’re on the phone.
• Tell shelters and vets the chip number. When you call or visit, give them the number along with your pet’s photo and description.
• Add the chip status to your listing. In your free lost pet listing, mention that your pet is microchipped so anyone who finds it knows to get it scanned. Don’t post the full chip number publicly.
• Keep searching. A chip only helps once someone takes your pet to be scanned. Keep up with flyers, shelter visits and searching. Read what to do in the first 24 hours.

If you found a pet

• Get it scanned. Most vet clinics, animal shelters and animal control offices have a scanner. Call ahead and ask if they can scan a found pet.
• Let the professionals make contact. The vet or shelter can look up the registry and reach the owner. Some registries will pass your number on to the owner too.
• Post it as found. A chip record can be out of date, so also post a free found pet listing and read what to do when you find a pet.

Watch out for microchip scams

• Be careful with calls, texts and emails claiming your pet’s chip record is about to expire or needs a payment to stay active. Don’t click links or pay. Contact your registry directly using contact details you looked up yourself.
• Never give a stranger your chip number just because they ask. Someone who really has your pet can take it to a vet or shelter to scan it.
• Read more about lost pet scams and how to avoid them.

Keep the chip working for your pet

• Ask your vet to scan the chip at checkups to make sure it can still be read.
• Update the record whenever you move or change your number. Put a reminder in your calendar to check it once a year.
• Use an ID tag too. A tag with your phone number lets a neighbor call you right away, without a trip to a vet or shelter.
• Keep current photos. Clear photos of your pet’s face and whole body make a lost pet listing and flyer much more useful.

When the chip isn’t enough

Many lost pets are found by neighbors before they ever reach a scanner. Post a listing, put up flyers and browse lost and found pets in your area every day. If you want more people in the area to hear about your pet, our alert packages add phone calls and faxes in the area where your pet went missing. Questions? Call 1-877-875-7387.

More tips

Questions people ask

Does a microchip track my pet's location?

No. A microchip holds an ID number. When a vet or shelter scans it, they use the number to look up the owner's contact details in a registry.

How do I find my pet's microchip number?

Check your adoption or vet paperwork, or ask your vet or a local shelter to scan your pet.

How do I find out which registry my pet's chip is in?

Enter the chip number in a free universal microchip lookup tool online. It shows which registries have a record for that number.

What should I do with the microchip when my pet is lost?

Call the registry, report your pet lost and confirm your phone number and address. Give the chip number to the shelters and vets you contact.

Is a message saying my chip registration will expire real?

Be careful. Don't click links or pay. Contact your registry directly using contact details you looked up yourself.