Registering your dog's microchip, in five steps
A microchip reunites you with your dog only once it has been registered. This is exactly how to connect your dog's chip number to your contact information, step by step, free for life with United Pet Club.
Five steps to complete registration
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Step 1: Have your dog microchipped
If your dog has not yet been chipped, schedule an appointment with your vet. The procedure requires only a few seconds and no sedation. You will receive a slip bearing the chip's identification number, which should be kept somewhere secure until registration is complete.
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Step 2: Select a registration service
Certain microchip brands operate their own registry, though you are under no obligation to use it. Registering a microchip with United Pet Club instead provides a registry that accepts any brand of chip and checks against the American Animal Hospital Association's universal lookup tool.
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Step 3: Enter your dog's information
You will require the microchip identification number, usually fifteen digits, along with your dog's name, breed, age, and a photograph, plus your own contact details: name, address, phone number, and email. Verify each field carefully before submitting, since a single incorrect digit in the chip number renders the entire link useless.
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Step 4: Confirm any applicable fees
Some registries charge a one-time or recurring fee, while others charge nothing at all. It is worth understanding what you are agreeing to before proceeding, including whether the registration lapses or renews automatically.
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Step 5: Maintain updated information
Update the registry the moment you relocate, change your phone number, or switch email addresses. A microchip registered against an outdated address provides little more benefit than one never registered at all.
Why microchip registration matters for dogs
A microchip is a small implant, approximately the size of a grain of rice, placed beneath your dog's skin between the shoulder blades, holding a unique identification number that a scanner reads within seconds. On its own, however, this number accomplishes nothing, requiring a link to your contact information in a registry before anyone can act upon it. Dogs slip loose more often than owners anticipate, whether squeezing past a gate during a housing society function, bolting when firecrackers sound around Diwali, or wandering off during a move between apartments. A registered chip is precisely what transforms a scan at a shelter into a phone call home. A pet ID tag on the collar assists as well, offering the fastest route for a neighbour to reach you without requiring a scanner, though tags fall off in a manner chips simply do not.
Registration carries significance well beyond a lost dog, too. Numerous municipal corporations, including those in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, require dogs to be registered or licensed under local by-laws, while the nationwide Animal Birth Control Rules shape how street dogs are managed, sterilised, and vaccinated within a given area. Registering early keeps you organised regardless of which local rules apply where you live. It also serves as informal proof of ownership: should a dog change hands, through a sale, a rescue, or a dispute, the registry record indicates who the dog has been linked to and since when. Owners seeking additional recovery tools, such as SMS alerts or a live agent line, may compare our registration plans. And a dog without a chip can still be registered for free, with the chip number added following the vet visit.
What registration provides you
Faster reunions
A registered chip reduces the time between a shelter scanning your dog and your receiving a call, sometimes from days down to mere hours.
Simpler international travel
Many countries require a registered microchip before permitting a dog entry. Registering in advance avoids delays at customs, and pairing this with a pet passport keeps the accompanying paperwork organised.
A record that withstands scrutiny
Should ownership ever come into question, during a custody matter, a rehoming, or a boarding dispute, the registry demonstrates who the dog is linked to and since when.
Reduced pressure on shelters
Each dog reunited promptly frees kennel space and staff time for strays requiring greater assistance.
Questions dog owners frequently ask
What distinguishes microchipping from registering a dog's microchip?
Microchipping refers to the physical implant, performed once by a vet. Registering constitutes a separate step, linking that chip's identification number to your name and contact details within a database. A dog may be chipped yet remain unregistered, in which case the chip cannot lead anyone back to you.
May I register my dog's microchip across more than one database?
Yes. Registering across multiple databases can broaden your coverage, since not every shelter checks every registry. Universal registries on the AAHA lookup tool, United Pet Club among them, substantially reduce this concern.
I adopted a dog already carrying a microchip. How do I register it under my name?
Contact the registry currently holding that chip and request an ownership transfer, using your adoption paperwork as supporting evidence. Alternatively, register the chip fresh with United Pet Club, since a more recent registration supersedes an outdated one.
Must I renew my dog's microchip registration annually?
This depends on the registry. Some require periodic renewal, others do not. United Pet Club's registration remains free throughout your dog's life, with no renewal required whatsoever.
What happens when a shelter scans my dog's chip?
The scanner displays the chip's identification number along with the registry holding the record. Shelter staff then look up that number, locate your contact information, and reach you by phone or email.
How and where do I register my dog's microchip in India?
Register it free with United Pet Club: create an account, enter the chip's fifteen digit number, and add your contact information. This works with any brand of chip your local vet implants. Numerous municipal corporations, including those in Delhi, Mumbai, and Bengaluru, require dog registration or licensing under their own by-laws, and street dog management nationally falls under the Animal Birth Control Rules, so maintaining your registry record alongside any applicable local licence remains the more prudent approach.
Register your dog today
Linking your dog's chip to your contact information takes only a few minutes. It is best done now, before the need arises. Questions? Contact us at any time.