Getting your pet's microchip on record
Registration is what ties the number sitting under your pet's skin back to your own contact details, so a scan at the vet or a shelter leads straight to your door rather than nowhere at all. It's free for the whole of your pet's life through the United Pet Club pet registry, and it makes no difference whether the chip came from us or from another provider entirely.
A few things worth having to hand first
Find your pet's microchip number before anything else, fifteen digits, usually printed on the paperwork your vet or breeder handed you when the chip went in, or shown up on the scanner readout if your vet checks for you there and then. You'll want your current contact details too, along with a few basics about the pet itself: species, breed, colour, and date of birth if that happens to be something you know.
Not entirely certain your pet is even chipped? Ask your vet to run a scan the next time you're in, it takes only seconds and most are happy enough to do it during a routine visit without any extra fuss. Number in hand, registration works exactly the same regardless of whose chip your pet happens to be carrying.
Five steps, and you're there
1
Set up a free account
Sign up with United Pet Club, no charge at all. This is where the registration, and any update you make after, will sit.
2
Enter the microchip number
The fifteen digits, straight from the paperwork or the scanner readout, and it's well worth checking each one twice, one wrong figure ties a scan to somebody else's record entirely.
3
Add a little about your pet
Name, species, breed, colour, and birth date if known. These small details help a shelter or vet feel sure they've found the right animal.
4
Add your contact details
Phone number, email, address, whatever you'd like a finder to actually use. This is what gets contacted the moment your pet is scanned, so it wants to be kept accurate.
5
Have a final look, then save
Read back over the record and save it. From there your pet's chip is searchable in the registry, and you can come back and change any of it whenever you need to.
Keeping everything current
A microchip is only ever as good as the details sitting behind it, and that's worth remembering. Move house, change your number, or rehome your pet, and the registry ought to be updated that very day. Updates cost nothing and go live straight away, so there's really no good reason to put it off.
Dogs and cats register in much the same fashion, and our species guides cover the finer points if you'd find them useful: register a dog or register a cat. No chip on your pet just yet? You can still register your pet first and slot the chip number in later. And to see exactly what the free lifetime plan covers before you begin, have a read of free microchip registration.
Registration, a few common questions
Where would I register my pet's chip online, free of charge?
United Pet Club, and it costs nothing at all, over at unitedpetclub.com. Create a free account, enter the fifteen-digit chip number, and add your contact details. Covers registration and every future update, no renewal fee attached, and works with chips from any manufacturer you like.
How long does the whole thing usually take?
A few minutes for most people, provided the microchip number and your pet's basic details are close to hand. There's no waiting period involved, the record is searchable the moment you hit save.
Can I register a chip a different company put in?
You can, sure, no bother whatsoever. Enter the number from your pet's paperwork and it goes onto the United Pet Club pet registry exactly as one of our own chips would.
What if I simply cannot find my pet's microchip number?
Ask your vet or a local ISPCA branch to scan for it, the scan itself is quick and painless, and most vets will happily check during a routine visit without any bother at all.
Do I need to start from scratch if I move house or change my number?
You do not, not at all. Log in, update your existing record with the new details, and that's the whole of it. The change is free and takes effect immediately.
How exactly does registering a pet microchip work here in Ireland?
Everything on this page covers it: set up a free United Pet Club account, enter the fifteen-digit number, and save your contact details. Since the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015 came into force, dog wardens and vets across the country check the registry behind a chip as a matter of course. It works from any country too, so travel or a move abroad won't change a thing about it.
Get your pet's microchip registered today
It takes only a few minutes, and it's free for the whole of your pet's life.