A microchip ID is one of the quickest and easiest ways to help a lost pet get back home. Because it’s underneath their skin, it can’t get lost like a collar. And it can get scanned by any vet or animal shelter with access to the pet ID database. They can use the database to find your phone number and let you know your pet is safe and sound.
Is Microchipping Safe?
Microchips for pets have been in use for many years. Pets who wander away from home, get spooked by something and run off, or get lost during a natural disaster can be identified and reunited with you quickly if they have a microchip placed inside their body.
The microchip is super tiny, about the size of a grain of rice. Your vet will implant it underneath the loose skin in your pet’s neck. The procedure is no more painful than a normal vaccination, and it’s all over in a couple of minutes.
How Does a Microchip ID Work?
Every chip has a unique identification number. You will use that number to register your pet’s ID on the recovery database, including your contact information. When the chip is scanned by a vet or shelter, your contact information comes up and you can be reunited with your pet.
It’s important to realize that a microchip is not a GPS tracker. It doesn’t make your pet “findable,” but it does make it easier for a vet’s office or shelter to find you. Collars and the ID or GPS tags they hold can break away and get lost; the chip ensures there is always a way to identify your pet.
The Technology Behind Microchip IDs
Pet microchips use RFID, or radiofrequency identification technology. There’s no battery needed, and nothing that will affect your pet’s health. The chip never needs replacement, and it will last your pet’s entire life.
When a vet or another animal care professional passes a scanner over your pet’s body, it will “see” the chip’s ID number. The scanner reads and displays the ID number, which is then checked against the chip provider’s database. As long as your contact info is current, a reunion is only a phone call away.
Is Any Personal Info Stored on a Pet Microchip?
No, the chip only transmits an ID number to the scanner. It’s a lot like scanning the barcode on your groceries at the self-checkout. The chip is not capable of storing any information besides the ID number.
Your name and address or phone number are only stored in the pet recovery database owned by the chip provider. You are responsible for registering the chip and keeping your contact information current. The only time someone else will see that information is if a registered care provider scans your pet and looks up their ID number.
Who Can Scan a Pet’s Microchip?
To read a pet’s microchip, a special scanner is required, one that’s programmed to pick up the chip’s RFID signal. Veterinarians generally have these scanners on-hand, as do animal shelters like Maricopa County Animal Care and Control, animal control officers, and some pet stores. In most cases, these are universal scanners, and they can read chips across brands.
Veterinary Care for Pets in Gilbert
Is your pet due for a checkup? Are you planning to adopt a new pet soon? Now is a great time to schedule an appointment. If your pet isn’t microchipped, we’d be happy to explain more. And if your pet is already chipped, this is a good reminder to check that the chip is registered and that your contact information is up-to-date.
Photo by Anna Khromova on Unsplash used with permission under license for commercial use 08/09/2026.
