As our Missouri Lost & Found Paws team continues its community outreach programs via the Check the Chip Clinics, we are finding that many pets are microchipped.  This is great news!  But the challenging part of the situation is that many of the microchips are not registered.

We are often asked by pet owners “how do I register my pet’s microchip”?

Great question!  We hope this blog post will help to clarify the process for pet owners.

Do You Know Your Pet’s Microchip ID Number?

Know your pet’s microchip ID number!  Great!  Unsure how to check the registration information?  No problem!  Here is our checklist of how you can check the registration info:

1. Go to http://www.petmicrochiplookup.org/.
2. Enter your pet’s microchip ID number.
3. Click on Search.
4. The system will return the name of the microchip company, contact phone number and the company’s website.
   1. If you prefer to use the phone, call the contact number.  Otherwise, you can use the website to register the microchip.
   2. If using the phone, when the representative answers, state that you wish to validate and verify your pet’s microchip owner registration.
   3. The representative will ask for the microchip ID number.
   4. The representative may respond in one of the following fashions:
      • Registered Microchip, ownership information matches your information.  They will ask  you to verify your name, address and telephone number.  If there is a match, then they will confirm that the chip is registered to you.
      • Unregistered Microchip.  They will state that the chip is unregistered.
        • Did you get your pet from a shelter?  Congrats on adopting a shelter pet!  Registering the microchip is easy peezy.  Just let the representative know that you want to register the microchip to you, the owner.  If you ever change your address or phone number, please be sure to notify the shelter of this change in contact information.
        • Did you get your pet from a rescue group?  While some rescue groups purchase microchips that include a free, lifetime registration, others do not.  The decision is usually a cost based decision as the lifetime registration option is higher in cost.  But don’t fret!  This is easy to solve.  Let the microchip company know that you wish to register the microchip to yourself, the owner.  If the microchip is registered, but to the rescue group, ask the representative to add you as the primary contact and the rescue as the secondary contact.  The reason why rescue groups like to stay on the registration is because there is a lot of time and love that goes into their foster pets.  If for any reason you cannot be reached in the case your pet is found and scanned for a microchip, the rescue group would be contacted to see if they will claim the found pet.  If you ever change your address or phone number, please be sure to notify the rescue group of this change in contact information.
        • Did you get your pet from a breeder? Most breeders want to stay as the primary contact for the registration.  You can ask your breeder if they can be listed as the secondary point of contact, while you add yourself as the first point of contact.  If that is not the arrangement they wish to have, then ask the microchip company to add you as the secondary point of contact.  If you ever change your address or phone number, please be sure to notify the breeder of this change in contact information.
      • Registered Microchip, but ownership contact information does not match yours.
        • This could be due to one of many reasons:
          • Pet is registered to a rescue organization.
          • Pet is registered to a breeder.
          • Pet is registered to a shelter.
          • Pet is registered to a different owner.
            • Did you provide a home for a pet that was being rehomed?
              • Most microchip companies will allow you to update the registration information.
            • Did you find the pet some time ago, but the pet had not been scanned for a microchip?
              • It could be that this pet has been missing, and the owner was not ever notified.  This can become an emotional decision.  While it is painful to think that this pet could be someone’s beloved missing pet that has been searching for a long time, the pet deserves the right to be reunited with its rightful family.  The microchip company will contact the owner and put you both in touch with one another.
              • If the owner no longer wants the pet, ask them to send a written statement transferring ownership to you.  You can then proceed with registration of the microchip.  The representative will walk you thru the process.
            • Did you find the pet some time ago, the pet was scanned for a microchip but one was not found?
              • This could be due to the fact that the person scanning for a microchip was not using a Universal Scanner.  This is similar to the above situation in that, it becomes an emotionally charged decision.   The pet has a right to be reunited with its rightful owner.
              • If the owner no longer wants the pet, ask them to send a written statement transferring ownership to you.  You can then proceed with registration of the microchip.  The representative will walk you thru the process.
            • Did you take in a beloved family member or friend’s pet that was ill, or passed away?
              • What an incredibly compassionate thing to do!  It is very, very important to update the microchip registration information to you.  The representative will be able to assist with this!
        • Did you get your pet microchipped at a low cost vaccine clinic?  That is great!  Thanks for doing this to help ensure your pet’s safety!  While some of the low cost vaccine clinics include microchip registration, others may not.  This is typically due to the cost to purchase the type of microchip.  Some microchips include a lifetime registration, while others do not.  Purchase decisions are typically cost based.  It is extremely important to register your pet’s microchip to yourself.  The representative is walk you thru this.

Not Sure of Your Pet’s Microchip ID Number?

No worries if you don’t know your pet’s microchip number.  There are a number of ways to find out.  The most simple is to visit your veterinarian’s office.  Ask your veterinarian whether they have a Universal Scanner that picks up all frequencies of microchips.  If your veterinarian is unsure, ask for the brand name that they have, contact the manufacturer to ask whether their scanner is a Universal Scanner.

Once you have the microchip number:

1. Go to http://www.petmicrochiplookup.org/.
2. Enter your pet’s microchip ID number.
3. Click on Search.
4. The system will return the name of the microchip company, contact phone number and the company’s website.
   1. If you prefer to use the phone, call the contact number.  Otherwise, you can use the website to register the microchip.
   2. If using the phone, when the representative answers, state that you wish to validate and verify your pet’s microchip owner registration.
   3. The representative will ask for the microchip ID number.
   4. The representative may respond in one of the following fashions:
      • Registered Microchip, ownership information matches your information.  They will ask  you to verify your name, address and telephone number.  If there is a match, then they will confirm that the chip is registered to you.
      • Unregistered Microchip.  They will state that the chip is unregistered.  You can then respond to state that you want to register the microchip.  The representative will then walk you thru the process.
      • Registered Microchip, but ownership contact information does not match yours.
        • This could be due to one of many reasons:
          • Pet is registered to a rescue organization.
          • Pet is registered to a breeder.
          • Pet is registered to a shelter.
          • Pet is registered to a different owner.
            • Did you provide a home for a pet that was being rehomed?
              • Most microchip companies will allow you to update the registration information.
            • Did you find the pet some time ago, but the pet had not been scanned for a microchip?
              • It could be that this pet has been missing, and the owner was not ever notified.  This can become an emotional decision.  While it is painful to think that this pet could be someone’s beloved missing pet that has been searching for a long time, the pet deserves the right to be reunited with its rightful family.  The microchip company will contact the owner and put you both in touch with one another.
              • If the owner no longer wants the pet, ask them to send a written statement transferring ownership to you.  You can then proceed with registration of the microchip.  The representative will walk you thru the process.
            • Did you find the pet some time ago, the pet was scanned for a microchip but one was not found?
              • This could be due to the fact that the person scanning for a microchip was not using a Universal Scanner.  This is similar to the above situation in that, it becomes an emotionally charged decision.   The pet has a right to be reunited with its rightful owner.
              • If the owner no longer wants the pet, ask them to send a written statement transferring ownership to you.  You can then proceed with registration of the microchip.  The representative will walk you thru the process.
            • Did you take in a beloved family member or friend’s pet that was ill, or passed away?
              • What an incredibly compassionate thing to do!  It is very, very important to update the microchip registration information to you.  The representative will be able to assist with this!

Do You Swear Your Pet Is Microchipped, But No One Can Find It?

The most common issue is that a Universal Scanner has not been used to scan for the microchip.

It could also be that the full body has not been checked for a microchip.  Microchips can migrate thru the body.  Be sure to use the following guidelines from AKCReunite when having your pet scanned for a microchip.

No Universal Scanner Available at Your Veterinarian?

If your veterinarian does not have a Universal Scanner, contact our Missouri Lost & Found Paws team!  We will gladly come out to help you!  You can contact us via molostfoundpaws@gmail.com, or by calling 314.246.9565.

Changed Your Contact Information?

1. Don’t forget to notify your microchip company!
2. Call your veterinarian that implanted the microchip and let them know of your updated contact information.
3. Call your shelter/rescue group/breeder to provide your updated contact info.
4. If your pet is up to date on Rabies vaccine, call your county office for Rabies tag, and provide your updated contact info.

We hope that this info will be of use to you and your pet to keep them safe!