Accidents happen. Dogs dart out of the door; birds slip through cracked windows, and hamsters sometimes escape in ways we could never have imagined. No matter how vigilant we are, the unexpected sometimes happens, resulting in our beloved pets becoming lost. While we never want to think about losing our pets, we can best prepare by ensuring they’re microchipped. Microchipping is quick, painless, easy, and relatively inexpensive.
Let’s take a look at what microchips are and why your pet having one, even if it’s never needed, is beneficial throughout their life.
What is a microchip?
As pet parents, we’ve all probably heard the term microchip and maybe our pets even have one. But do you know what it is and how it really works?
A microchip is a tiny, about the size of a grain of rice, electronic chip enclosed in a glass capsule. It contains a unique number that corresponds to the pet to which it belongs. The microchip does not contain personal information, such as your name, address, or phone number, so you never have to worry about having your information stolen. That information is typically stored in a secure pet registry database of the company that produced the chip.
If your pet goes missing, they can be scanned, usually by an individual at a veterinary clinic or an animal shelter, to look for a microchip. As long as you keep your information up-to-date, the individual who scanned your pet will be able to contact you, so you can be reunited with your pet.
Microchips do not have GPS, so you will be unable to track your lost pet, another reason keeping your information current in the pet registry database is critical to being reunited with them.
What kind of pets can be microchipped?
Many people naturally think of dogs or cats, the most popular pets, when we talk about our furry, feathered, and scaly loved ones. But, they’re not the only pets who benefit from a microchip. Here are a few others (if you’re not sure if your pet is a candidate for a microchip, just ask your vet):
- Birds
- Ferrets
- Guinea pigs
- Hamsters
- Horses
- Lizards
- Rabbits
- Rats
- Snakes
- Tortoises
How does a microchip work?
Inserting a microchip is straightforward and can even be done at a routine vet appointment, although some pet parents prefer to have their pet’s microchip inserted during spaying, neutering, or during another procedure when the pet is under anesthesia. A hypodermic needle is used to insert the microchip under your pet’s skin, usually between the shoulder blades.
Your pet can then be scanned for a microchip if they go missing if all of your contact information is current.
Where can I get my pet microchipped?
Veterinarians and animal shelters typically microchip pets. Keep an eye out on social media too, including Facebook, for announcements of local microchipping clinics. Sometimes animal shelters, pet welfare organizations, and veterinary offices will host clinics that offer low-cost or even free microchipping.
How do you register your pet’s microchip?
All microchips must be registered with a registry or else the microchip will be useless. The microchip is typically registered with its manufacturer. However, there are also microchipping registry companies that you may choose to store your contact information.
The pet registry contains details about both you and your pet, including your pet’s name, date of birth, and gender, and your contact information (phone number, email address, and home address).
Make sure you keep your contact information – address, phone number, and email address – current in the pet registry. A microchip is only effective if your contact information is correct. The most prevalent reason microchipped pets and their pet parents aren’t reunited, when a pet goes missing, is incorrect information in the registry.
How much does it cost to microchip a pet?
The cost of microchipping largely depends on where you take your pet for the procedure. However, costs generally range from $25 to upwards of $70, as of January 2026.
Why should I get my pet microchipped?
How many pets do you think go missing every year? Any guesses? The Animal Humane Society estimates that as many as 10 million pets are lost or stolen each year. If that sounds like a lot (and it is), the Animal Humane Society further asserts that one out of every three pets goes missing at least once in their lives.
While there aren’t exact figures of how many of those pets are never reunited with their families, the majority of those who do not have an identification tag or a microchip never find their way home. Putting up flyers, posting in neighborhood groups, and ensuring your pet has an identification tag are all ways to find a lost pet, but perhaps the most effective method is to get your pet microchipped. A microchip cannot be lost and will remain with your pet throughout their life.
Can I microchip my pet myself?
Microchipping your pet is easy if done by professionals. However, you should never attempt to insert a microchip yourself. Improperly inserting a microchip could have severe consequences, including the inability to scan the microchip due to it moving from the original site.
Are there any risks of microchipping?
While there tend to be risks associated with just about everything we do in life, the risks of microchipping are rare. However, some pets may deal with such side effects as infection, hair loss at the injection site (depending on the type of pet), and skin irritation. In extremely rare cases, the microchip may migrate from its original point.
Deciding to microchip your pet is a personal decision. However, most would likely agree that the benefits – the high probability of reuniting with your pet if they go missing, the microchip remaining for your pet’s lifetime, and the ease and affordability of insertion – far outweigh the rare side effects.
Did you know August 15 is National Check the Chip Day? The annual observation, created by the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA) and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), was designed as a reminder to pet parents: Make sure you get your pets microchipped and, if they’re already chipped, check to ensure your contact information with the registry is current.
The only thing as important as getting your pet microchipped is ensuring you keep the contact information up-to-date. Investing the time and relatively minimal cost of a microchip increases your chance of being reunited with your beloved pet should she go missing.
