Register your pet's microchip, no cost involved
A microchip does nothing until it's registered. United Pet Club links your pet's chip number to your contact details for free, and keeps that record live for as long as you have the pet.
How the registry works, in practice
When your vet or a local SPCA takes in a lost pet, the scanner gives them one thing: a chip number. Not your name, not your number, just digits. From there, staff search that number against a database to find out who to contact. If the chip was never registered, or it sits in a database that particular branch can't access, the trail stops right there.
United Pet Club runs a free, searchable registry that keeps your contact details linked to your pet's chip number. We take chips from any manufacturer, so the brand your vet used makes no difference. We're also part of the American Animal Hospital Association's universal microchip lookup, one of the first places a vet or SPCA branch checks when a stray comes in.
It takes a few minutes to sort out. If your pet was just chipped, start with free microchip registration. Otherwise, work through our guides for registering a dog's microchip or registering a cat's microchip. No chip yet? A free profile through pet registration still helps. Found a stray yourself? Run a microchip lookup to track the owner down.
What comes with United Pet Club
Free lifetime plan
Every pet gets a no-cost registration linking your contact details to the chip number for as long as you own the pet. No expiry date, nothing to renew.
Upgraded plans if you need more
Want extras like a detailed pet profile or scan location? Move up to an upgraded plan whenever you're ready.
One-time payment option
Upgraded plans include a once-off payment option, so you're not renewing every single year.
24/7 live agent line
Call 1-800-AID-PETS any time, day or night, and a live agent helps whoever's found your pet get in touch.
Email alerts
We email you the moment your pet's chip or tag is scanned, so you know straight away someone's trying to reach you.
AAHA universal microchip lookup
Our registry is part of the American Animal Hospital Association's universal lookup, the database vets and SPCA branches check first.
A chip and a tag work best together
A microchip is a small implant, about the size of a grain of rice, placed under a pet's skin between the shoulder blades. It carries an ID number a scanner can read. It isn't a tracker: no battery, no live location, it only works once someone scans it up close. Without a registry behind that number, it's just a number, which is why registering matters as much as the implant itself.
A pet ID tag works differently. Right there on the collar, so whoever finds your pet reads your phone number straight off, no scanner needed. Tags do fall off though, catch on a fence or come loose in thick bush, and that's exactly where the chip backs it up. Get both sorted and your pet is covered either way someone finds them.
Questions South African owners ask
Is pet microchip registration actually free here?
Yes, it is. United Pet Club's registry takes any pet, any brand of chip, registered for life on the free plan. Want scan location or the 24/7 agent line? Upgrade for that. The basics never cost anything and never expire.
Isn't registering the same as having the chip put in?
No, they're two different steps. The vet handles the implant in seconds. You still need to load your contact details into a registry afterwards, or that chip isn't linked to anyone.
What happens when an SPCA branch scans my pet's chip?
The scanner reads the chip's ID number and shows which registry it's recorded in. Staff then look up that number to find your contact details and get in touch.
Do I need to update anything if I move?
Yes, and it matters more if you're relocating between provinces. Update your address, phone number, and email as soon as they change. Outdated details can delay a reunion even when the chip itself is properly registered.
Does the registry work if I take my pet abroad?
It does. United Pet Club's registration works worldwide, searchable 24/7 from any country. Every chip we sell meets ISO 11784/11785, so standard scanners in most countries can read it, keeping your pet identifiable wherever you travel, move, or rehome to.
Compare what the plans include
Free registration covers the basics. See what the upgraded plans add, things like scan location or SMS alerts.