Microchips: What to do before & after losing a pet, and how to help one you found.
- Allison Voehringer
- Jan 8
- 3 min read
In this article, I'll cover
First and most important thing - microchip your pet. What is it? A microchip is a small (about the size of a grain of rice) device that is given to dogs in a similar way as a shot. When located by a microchip scanner, it will give the unique number and help that pet reunite with its owner.
All pets should be microchipped as soon as you get them, if they are not already chipped when you get them. Collars can be lost or removed, a microchip is a permanent connection to you as the owner - as long as you keep your account up to date.
Choosing a microchip
Many locations will provide microchipping: veterinary clinics, most city animal shelters, most pop-up veterinary clinics or shot clinics, and more.
I personally do NOT recommend an AVID brand microchip because they cannot be read by most microchip scanners, they require a specialized - more expensive - universal microchip scanner. This can delay your pet reuniting with you.
Any other brand of microchip is totally fine and will all be read the same.
So your pet is chipped! Now what?
Congratulations!!
Now you need to register your microchip. Your microchip can be registered to ANY company that does this, you do not need to register your microchip with the company that manufactured it.
My top recommendation for microchip registration is AKC Reunite.
They provide secure and easy to use portals
It is easy to customize your primary and secondary contact for each animal. You're not required to have the same secondary contact for all animals.
They provide a lifetime of pet poison control access for an additional $13.50. This alone pays for itself in one use, because normal pet poison control access is $100 per call.
Ability to have pet notes, medical notes, and veterinary office information put in
Once you choose a company to register your microchip with, they will walk you through the process to input all of your information. For the notes, consider what would be helpful for someone who doesn't know your pet and may be around them at their most scared.
Are they crate trained?
Are they usually friendly - or not - with other animals or strangers?
Are they fearful of any people, accessories (like hats), or other things?
Are they on any medication or do they have any known health issues?
Is your dog trained with any commands in another language?
What to do if your pet gets lost?
Immediately mark your pet lost on any/all places your pet's microchip is registered (forgot where? Check here: https://www.aaha.org/for-veterinary-professionals/microchip-search/)
Double check that your name, phone number, email address, and pet's information is all up to date. If your pet is found, you will be contacted through these phone and email methods.
Contact your local animal shelter and notify them, as well as going on the "Lost My Pet" area of https://24petconnect.com/
Post on your local forums such as on Facebook and NextDoor. Post on PawBoost.
Get out and looking. Let your neighbors know, check your pet's favorite spots.
Most dogs will jump into a car more willingly than coming to you to be caught. Try driving around looking for them, but be aware of your environment. Drive safe!
Leave a crate out with your worn clothes in them to be a comforting smell.
Now, as a good samaritan you found a lost pet:
What do you do if you find a lost pet:
Make sure they are safely contained. A snuggly fit collar and leash, a fenced area, indoors where they cannot slip out, etc. to avoid getting loose again
Contact someone with a microchip scanner or go to get it scanned
If you're local to Burbank, text me and I can help
Any animal shelter, vet office, or pet store with a vet office in it will have one
If a chip is not found, contact the animal shelter local to where you found the pet. You can contact other shelters in addition to that shelter but you must contact the shelter local to where the dog was found. THAT is the shelter that the owners will be checking.
If the chip is found, the location who scanned will help the owner get in contact with you to reunite with their pet.
Contact your local animal shelter and notify them, as well as going on the "Found a Pet" area of https://24petconnect.com/
Post on your local forums such as on Facebook and NextDoor. Post on PawBoost.
If you have any questions, please feel free to reach out!
As always, I am here to help with any training needs and to help with your pet's safety
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