How to Update Your Pet's Microchip Information: A Step by Step Guide
A practical, step by step guide to updating your pet's microchip contact details so a lost pet has a real chance of getting back to you.
Pet Identification
A microchip only works if the registration is current
A microchip that's never been registered, or registered with an old phone number, is close to useless in an actual recovery. The chip itself just stores an ID number. The registry lookup is what turns that number into a phone call.
Recovery depends on more than one piece of technology
A collar tag, a microchip, and an up-to-date registry entry each cover a gap the others don't. A tag works even without a scanner nearby; a chip survives a lost collar. Relying on just one leaves an obvious hole.
Does microchipping replace the need for a collar and tag?
No. A chip needs a scanner and a working registry lookup. A visible tag lets anyone who finds a pet make contact immediately, no scanner required.
How do I update my information if I move?
Contact the specific microchip registry your pet is enrolled in directly. It's a quick update, but it's a step owners frequently forget after a move.
More in Pet Identification
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.
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.
