What is a microchip?
A microchip is a means of permanently identifying your pet by using a small chip the size of a grain of rice, which is injected under the skin in the scruff of your pets neck. The tiny chip contains a unique number that is linked to your address and contact details on a national registry. Most veterinary practices & animal welfare shelters have hand held scanners which will easily read your pets microchip number, so if your pet is lost or injured you will be contacted quickly.
At the Hills Veterinary Centre, we use "Mini Microchips". These minimise stress and discomfort for your pet.
How is the microchip implanted?
Getting your pet microchipped is as simple as getting a vaccination! We will only take a few minutes to inject the microchip under your pets skin. This can be done via a normal consultation or if your pet is coming in for surgery (e.g. desexing) it can be done while they are under anaesthesia. If the microchip is implanted while your pet is under anaesthetic we can also place an ‘M’ tattoo in their right ear so that if they do happen to get lost anyone who finds them will know that they have a chip implanted and arrange to get them scanned.
After chipping you will be asked to fill in a registration form with personal details and contact numbers. This information will be stored on the national data base and cross referenced with your pets microchip number. This means if your pets is lost, you can be traced easily. It is important that you keep these contact details up to date so remember to notify the registry if you move house or change your mobile number.
How is the information accessed?
Animal shelters, veterinary clinics and councils all have hand-held microchip readers which are used to scan the numbers. The microchip number that correlates to your pet will be plugged into a database to search for your contact information. So if your pet happens to go missing, or escape from your backyard they can be returned to you as quickly as possible.
How do I update my address or phone number?
Every time you move house or get a new phone number, it is of the utmost importance to update the information on the microchip registry. There are a few different companies your pets microchip could be registered with, so it is important to keep the documents given to you when you first get your pet, as an adult or a baby. Once you know who your pets microchip is registered with, you can update your details via the website or over the phone. If you have lost or didn't get any information from your rescue shelter or breeder, contact us on 8278 4147 and one of our friendly nurses can help you find the information.
