Register that microchip, and do it for free
A microchip sitting there unregistered isn't doing anyone any good. United Pet Club takes your pet's chip number and ties it to your contact details, no charge involved, and keeps that link going for your pet's whole life.
Here's how the registry actually works
Picture the scene: a dog warden or an ISPCA volunteer picks up a lost pet, scans it, and gets nothing back but a number. No name, no phone number, not a thing. From there, someone has to go searching through a database to figure out who that number belongs to, and if the chip was never registered in the first place, or it's sitting in a database that particular warden simply can't get into, the search stops dead.
Now, United Pet Club runs a free registry that does the job properly: your contact details, held against your pet's chip number, searchable any time. We take chips from any manufacturer, so it makes no odds which brand your vet reached for. We're also part of the American Animal Hospital Association's universal microchip lookup, which happens to be one of the first places a vet or an ISPCA branch will check the moment a stray comes through the door.
The whole thing takes a few minutes, honestly. If your pet's only recently been chipped, free microchip registration is where you'll want to start, or have a look through our guides on registering a dog's microchip and registering a cat's microchip. No chip at all yet? A free profile through pet registration still does plenty of good, and if you've found a stray yourself, running a microchip lookup might just get that animal home.
What you'll find with United Pet Club
A free plan that lasts a lifetime
Every pet gets a registration linking your contact details to the chip number, at no cost at all, for as long as that pet is yours. Never expires, never needs renewing, simple as that.
Upgraded plans, should you fancy one
Fancy a fuller pet profile or scan location? There are upgraded plans you can step up to whenever it suits you.
One payment, and you're done
Upgraded plans offer a single payment option, so there's no annual renewal chasing you down every year.
Someone on the phone, day or night
Ring 1-800-AID-PETS at any hour you like, and a live agent will help whoever's found your pet get in touch.
An email the moment it matters
You'll get an email whenever your pet's chip or tag gets scanned, so you know straight away that someone's trying to reach you.
Part of the AAHA universal lookup
Our registry sits inside the American Animal Hospital Association's universal lookup, one of the very first places vets and shelters look.
A chip and a tag, each covering for the other
A microchip is a tiny implant, about the size of a grain of rice, that sits under a pet's skin between the shoulder blades and holds an ID number a scanner can pick up. It's not a tracker, mind you, there's no battery in it and no way of finding your pet in real time, it only does its job once somebody scans it up close. And without a registry standing behind that number, it really is just a number, which is exactly why registering matters every bit as much as the chip itself.
A pet ID tag, on the other hand, sits right out on the collar where anyone can see it, so whoever finds your pet reads your phone number straight off, no scanner or database needed at all. The trouble with tags, sure, is that they come loose or fall off from time to time, and that's exactly where the chip earns its keep. Between the two, your pet's covered both the quick, visible way and the permanent one that's a good deal harder to lose.
The questions Irish pet owners tend to ask
Is there actually a free pet microchip registry in Ireland?
There is, yes. United Pet Club runs one, any pet, any brand of chip, registered free for life on our free plan. Upgraded plans bring in extras such as scan location and a live agent line around the clock, but the basic registration never costs a penny and never runs out.
Is registering a separate job from having the chip put in?
It is, and it catches a lot of owners out. The vet handles the implant, but it's down to you to lodge your contact details with a registry before that chip can lead anyone back to you.
What happens when a warden or ISPCA branch scans my pet?
The scanner throws up the chip's ID number and shows which registry holds it. From there, staff search that number, find your details, and give you a ring.
Should I update my details if we move house?
You should, and sooner rather than later: address, phone number, email, all of it, the moment any of them change. A registry's only as good as what's behind it, so old details can hold up a reunion even with a properly registered chip.
Does the registry still work once I'm outside Ireland?
It does, worldwide in fact. United Pet Club's registry can be searched any hour, from any country. Every chip we sell meets ISO 11784/11785, so standard scanners abroad will generally read it just fine, meaning your pet stays identifiable wherever you're travelling, moving, or rehoming to.
Have a look at what's on offer
Free registration covers what you actually need. Take a look at what the upgraded plans throw in on top, scan location, SMS alerts, that sort of thing.