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A microchip is recommended by the RSPCA and the Kennel Club as an effective way of permanently linking pets to their owners, increasing the chances of them being reunited if the animal is lost, stolen or strays.
Thousands of pets are lost every year and many are never reunited with their owners. PetLog believe the best way to ensure a lost pet is found is to have it microchipped - implanted with a special microchip tag.
How does microchipping work?
Once an animal has been microchipped it has its own unique code number. The owner's details and the code are put on to the national PetLog database. If a lost or stolen animal is found, the code will be revealed by passing a scanner over the microchip. Then it's just a matter of matching the code with the PetLog database.
How can microchipping help find my animal?
The PetLog scheme provides a fast, fool-proof way of identifying your animal, wherever it is found. The RSPCA, as well as many other animal welfare organizations, vets and dog wardens, have scanners which can read the microchip's details.
Is microchipping easy to do?
Yes, it's as simple as an injection. A tiny microchip - the size of a grain of rice - is painlessly inserted under the animal's skin. Once in, the microchip cannot move or be seen, but can be read by the scanner.
Which animals can be microchipped?
Most animals - but it is most commonly used on dogs, cats and horses.
How much does it cost?
Prices vary but a one-off payment of about £20 will get your pet on to the PetLog database for life. Owner details can be quickly amended if an address changes.
Where can I have my pet microchipped?
Contact your local RSPCA branch or veterinary surgeon for advice.
My pet's got a collar tag so why should it be microchipped?
By law all dogs have to wear a collar with a tag showing its owner's name and address. But collars can break, identification tags fall off and get lost. Microchips identify your pet permanently and harmlessly.
Why should I worry about losing my pet?
Even the most reliable and well-cared for animal can get lost or stolen. Home-loving pets are most at risk because they don't know their way around the local area.
Is the microchip system well established?
More than 450,000 animals have been microchipped in the past five years in the UK alone. It is the RSPCA's policy to microchip all cats and dogs it rehomes. Although the RSPCA believes that microchipping is the most reliable method of identification, the PetLog scheme also accepts animals which have been tattooed or collar-tagged.
For more information about joining PetLog, telephone 0870 606 6751. |
