Microchip Registration: Addressing Common Misconceptions

As a pet parent, you may have come across the term ‘microchipping’ or pet microchip recently. You may also have been instructed by your local Municipal Corporation to get your pet microchipped and registered to establish ownership. So, you may be wondering, what is a pet microchip?

A pet microchip is a tiny, non-electrical device that gives your pet a unique identity and acts as a safety net in case they ever get lost or mixed up with a similar pet. It gives you a degree of mental peace, as you can trust the fact that your pet will be identifiable even if (God forbid) something goes wrong. Here’s everything you need to know about a pet microchip and how it functions.  

What is a Pet Microchip?

A pet microchip is a tiny and power-less tag which is implanted in a pet’s skin to serve as a permanent proof of identity. Such chips operate are RFID’s (radio-frequency identification transponder), which means they require no electricity or batteries to operate. Such chips are not bothersome to a pet either since they are the size of a single rice grain and can be implanted by your vet through the same process as a routine injection.

Microchips are useful in several ways; they offer a safety net for your pet and give you peace of mind. While it is true that identification such as dog tags or name tags on collars are immensely helpful, these are easily removable and therefore cannot be used as ID proof to establish ownership. A microchip, on the other hand, is not removable as easily and the data on it can be used by animal clinics, vets, animal hospitals, and animal shelters to establish ownership.

Why is a Pet Microchip Useful?

• Security: A microchip helps your pet stay secure, as there is a significantly higher chance of your pet being reunited with you after being lost if they have a microchip implanted in them. They also help you in case your pet gets lost, runs away, or is mixed up with another similar-looking pet. 
  
  
• Lifetime Protection: Unlike collars or tracking devices, microchips do not require any maintenance during their use, meaning they offer lifetime protection to your pet.
   
  
• Quick & Easy to Apply: A pet microchip can be implanted by your vet with the same procedure as a regular vaccination, meaning it is a quick and easy way of ensuring your pet is identifiable as yours. 
  
  
• Legal Proof: If your pet is ever lost or your ownership of your pet is contested, a pet microchip can help verify your ownership and act as legal proof that your dog is truly yours, thanks to your details being maintained in a database against the microchip’s unique identification number. 

How Does a Pet Microchip Work?

While pet parents are starting to realise the usefulness of a device like a pet microchip, there are still misconceptions regarding how it works. People believe a pet microchip contains all pet owner details on the chip itself, which are displayed once the chip is scanned; this is false. People also believe that a pet microchip functions in the same way as a GPS tracking device; once again, this is false.

The only thing contained on a pet microchip is a Unique Identification Number. This UIN is then registered with a pet recovery database, after which your pet is successfully registered and can be identified as yours in case of any mishaps. No other information is contained on a pet microchip other than this unique identification number.

If you’re someone who plans on pet travel, make sure you choose an ISO 11784/11785 microchip, as these chips are standardized and accepted worldwide and should make your import/export through customs a little bit easier. When you register your pet’s microchip, you will provide your contact details to the registry, so make sure that it is updated regularly so that you are reachable in case of an emergency. You can even include the details of a trusted person along with yours to make sure you don’t miss any updates in case your pet wanders off.

To conclude, pet microchips are an inexpensive, convenient, and safe way of safeguarding your pet. Our pets are like babies, and since they don’t know what’s best for them all the time, it is our job as pet parents to make sure they are safe and protected at all times. A pet microchip goes a long way towards ensuring this, giving you a safety net & helping your peace of mind while also functioning as an ID proof which is used during international pet travel. So long as you remember to register your pet’s microchip with a registry of your choice to enjoy all the safety benefits, you should be good to go.