The benefits of microchipping your pet: why it matters and how it works
A microchip is the one form of pet ID that cannot fall off or be removed. Here is how the procedure works, what it costs, and why it still needs a tag as backup.
Microchipping
The chip is passive, the database does the real work
A microchip holds no battery and no GPS. It stores a fixed ID number, and that number only helps once a scanner reads it and someone checks it against the correct database. The chip by itself cannot locate a pet or reach an owner.
Most failures trace back to registration, not the chip
An SPCA centre scans a stray, pulls a chip number, and finds no registration or a phone number that's long out of date. That gap causes far more failed reunions than a chip actually breaking down, which almost never happens.
Can a microchip track where my pet has gone?
No. It has no battery or GPS, so tracking isn't possible. It only stores an ID number a scanner can read at close range.
How do I find out which database my pet is registered with?
The vet or SPCA that implanted the chip can tell you, and the manufacturer will have a record. NZCAR and similar lookup services can also help confirm the right database.
How pet microchip registration works: what actually happens after your pet is chipped
The chip only stores a number. Registration links it to your contact details, and it's the part owners most often skip or let go stale.