How Do I Register My Animals Microchip

No matter how careful nosotros are with our pets, in that location's no question that some are born escape artists. And even the most docile pets aren't allowed to the occasional wander.

According to statistics, one in three pets will go missing at some point in their lifetime. If you've ever felt that trauma first-mitt or the simple thought of it fills you with dread, one affair is for certain: You know there's aught you lot wouldn't do to get a lost dog or cat nestled safely back in your artillery...fast.

Here's the good news: If your pet is microchipped, the central to a speedy and successful reunion is already in place. Simply in order to unlock its power, there's one more crucial footstep you need to accept: register your pet's microchip. It's the single nigh important thing you can practise to ensure your pet'southward rubber render. Luckily, it'due south as well the easiest!

And research proves that this i simple footstep is absolutely worth the few minutes it takes to consummate. According to a 2009 study of 7,700 lost pets, 52% of microchipped dogs and 39% of microchipped cats were successfully reunited with their families.

Unfortunately, of the chipped pets who did not make it home safely, the study revealed unregistered microchips or those with outdated data were the primary reasons.

Simple Microchip Registration

According to experts, an estimated xl% of microchipped pets are walking around with unregistered chips. That's like splurging on shiny new tags for your dog or true cat, only leaving them bare...If someone finds your lost pet, how volition they know how to contact you?

While microchip registry sounds like a no-brainer, even the nigh responsible pet parents sometimes become batty by pretty common scenarios. Such as:

Many shelters automatically microchip animals in their intendance. But brand new pet parents might not realize they demand to annals the chip.
Some people confuse flake registration with needing to obtain a local license for their pet.
Even experienced pet parents sometimes forget to register a chip in the excitement of welcoming a new family member.
And what happens if you misplace your paperwork and can't figure out how to update your registry or whether your pet was ever chipped to begin with?

No demand to worry...or to let these unanswered questions keep yous from reuniting with a lost pet one second longer than y'all have to. In two piece of cake steps, here's how to ensure your pet's microchip is properly registered, in one case and for all.

Pace ane: Verify Your Pet'southward Microchip

If you're ane of those organizationally-gifted people who tin can summon their pet's microchip number at a moment's notice, huzzah! You lot can continue directly to Step ii.

The rest of u.s. may need a flake of assistance. Luckily, y'all have plenty of options:

Call your vet. Even if your files aren't the tidiest, if y'all've ever shared your pet's microchip registry number with your vet, the office should have it on tape. This is the selection of first resort for many pet parents. It's convenient, fast, and gratis!

Contact your breeder, shelter or rescue. No matter where you got your pet, it's possible they came to you lot already microchipped. So don't hesitate to contact a breeder or shelter for your pet's microchip number...fifty-fifty if you're afraid it will make you look like a bad pet parent. It'southward typically free, and information technology's much more common than you think.

Go your pet scanned. If yous yet can't confirm your pet's microchip number, it's time to bring them to a pro. Most veterinarians, animal shelters, and fifty-fifty fauna control offices can scan your pet to run into if they have a microchip — often gratuitous of accuse. Be sure to phone call ahead to confirm cost and make sure they utilise a universal scanner, which reads all frequencies then it's more probable to detect whatsoever chip, regardless of manufacturer.

Step two: Register Your Pet's Microchip

In one case y'all've confirmed your microchip number, registering it is costless and takes no more than a few minutes. You lot can practise it yourself on the 24PetWatch Pet Registry Portal or by calling 1-866-597-2424 to work direct with a Pet Registry Specialist.

That's information technology! In one case you're done, your pet'south unique microchip ID will forever be linked to the data you entered in the registry. Congrats on taking the nearly important step you tin can, to assistance ensure your pet makes it dwelling house to you safely.

But what does that really mean? Can y'all track your pet wherever they go like you tin can with some food commitment services? At present that you've registered your pet'southward microchip, it's important to empathize exactly what they can — and can't — practice.

How Do Microchip Registries Work?

Your pet's microchip is a tiny piece of technology — no larger than a grain of rice — that stores a unique ID number. Think of it like a barcode, Microchip Scanner except that it resides safely and securely within your pet'south body but under the surface of their skin, so information technology can never get lost.

There are many different microchip manufacturers, just it doesn't matter who made the chip inside your pet. Some microchips operate on dissimilar frequencies, but a universal scanner tin read them all. Even then, the just thing a browse will reveal is the microchip's unique ID number.

That's why registering the scrap is so important. When a lost pet is found and scanned, a shelter can quickly search that ID number in a database to discover out where that pet is registered, then alarm the registry that the pet has been found. If the microchip is registered properly, that registry then alerts the pet parent on file to arrange the happy reunion!

What microchips don't practise is track your pet'south location 24/seven and so you tin can find them the minute they become missing. They also don't store any private data. And they're best used in improver to — non instead of — standard pet ID tags.

How To Become The Most Out Of Your Microchip Registry

Hopefully, past now, in that location's no doubt in your listen just how important it is to properly annals your pet's microchip. But when a pet is missing, you lot want to brand sure you have the all-time possible run a risk of reuniting with them.

Co-ordinate to Dana Rayman, Director of the 24PetWatch Call Center, hither's how to get even more out of your microchip registry and ameliorate your odds of a successful reunion.

Gratis Microchip Registry

"When you register your microchip with 24PetWatch, you get free admission to the online portal and lost pet recovery services. That ways when your pet goes missing, you lot tin can take immediate activity and get our Lost Pet Recovery Team on the example, instead of just worrying or hoping for the best," said Rayman.

Here's how that works:

The infinitesimal you lot realize your pet is missing, you can study your lost pet at any time of the twenty-four hour period or nighttime.
The Lost Pet Recovery Team will then search for your pet's microchip ID in their nationwide database of constitute pets.

If they get a hit, they'll notify you lot using the contact information you included in your registry. (Even more reason to brand certain that info is e'er updated!)

Pet Protection Services Membership

Yet, finding a lost pet is seldom elementary, and almost pet parents want to do everything in their power to reunite with their lost pets as apace as possible. That'south why 24PetWatch offers enhanced Pet Protection Services as part of an Annual Membership ($29.95/year) or Lifetime Membership ($94.95).

"A Pet Protection Membership is the equivalent of 911 for pet parents," says Rayman. "Instead of self-service reporting and updates if in that location'due south a hit in the database, you get instant, live access to a Lost Pet Recovery Specialist who can not but expedite your search, only also provide additional support and ideas to assist you get your pet back faster."

Here's how that works:

Experienced Recovery Experts are on call 24 hours a day, seven days a week, 365 days a year, ready to speak with y'all directly the minute y'all report your pet missing.
In addition to searching their database in existent time, Recovery Experts besides reach out to local facilities and shelters so they can be on the lookout for your pet.
They provide tried-and-true suggestions, like placing your pet's bed outside your door to help them odour their mode domicile, and fifty-fifty assist y'all create a custom Lost Pet poster.
All-time of all, with DirectConnect, Recovery Experts have the ability to instantly connect you directly with the facility or finder who has your pet the 2d they are institute to adjust a safe, happy reunion.

"The best part of working directly with our members is that there's no delay," said Rayman. "If we become a call at iv:00 AM saying someone found your pet, you tin can bet we're waking you up to give you the adept news."

"Membership also gives you unlimited updates to your registry data, so it's like shooting fish in a barrel to keep information technology up to date. And y'all can fifty-fifty add trusted friends and family equally contacts. That's central if nosotros can't reach you or if your number has inverse; Nosotros'll telephone call your secondary contacts until nosotros notice someone who can get your pet right away."

Lifetime Pet Protection Membership offers a range of additional benefits, including a $25 PetCo coupon, exclusive discounts, and year-long admission to a 24/7 Vet Hotline and 24PetMedAlert^®.

Simply the biggest benefit of registering with 24PetWatch is the extensive network of shelters and facilities that work with the company as a long-standing leader in the field of lost pet recovery. Thank you to that partnership, over 90% of pets adopted from shelters are already chipped and registered to their pet parents through 24PetWatch, said Rayman.

"On average, we're reuniting between 3,000-iv,000 pets with their parents each calendar month...most of them through DirectConnect. And there'southward nothing like hearing the relief in someone's voice when they know we're about to connect them to someone who has their pet, prophylactic and audio."

Click for more information on registering your microchip or Pet Protection Service Membership, or call a 24PetWatch representative at 1-866-597-2424.

Karen Vitale is a long-time writer, creator and animal lover whose work has been featured everywhere from Disney Studios to The Smithsonian Institutions.