Register your dog's microchip in five steps
A chip only reunites you with your dog once it's registered. Here's how to link your dog's chip number to your contact details, step by step, free for life with United Pet Club.
Five steps to get it done
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Step 1: Get your dog chipped
If your dog isn't chipped yet, book an appointment with the vet. It takes seconds and needs no sedation. You'll get a slip with the chip's ID number on it, keep that safe until registration is complete.
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Step 2: Pick a registration service
Some chip brands run their own registry, but you're not stuck with that option. Register a microchip with United Pet Club instead, and you get a registry that accepts any brand and checks against the American Animal Hospital Association's universal lookup tool.
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Step 3: Enter your dog's details
You'll need the microchip ID number, usually 15 digits, your dog's name, breed, age, and a photo, plus your own name, address, phone number, and email. Check every field carefully before submitting, one wrong digit in the chip number breaks the whole link.
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Step 4: Check for registration fees
Some registries charge a once-off or recurring fee, others don't charge anything. Know what you're signing up for before submitting your details, including whether it expires or renews automatically.
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Step 5: Keep your details updated
Update the registry the moment you move, change your phone number, or switch email addresses. A chip registered to an old address is barely more useful than one never registered at all.
Why registration matters for dogs here
A microchip is a small implant, about the size of a grain of rice, placed under your dog's skin between the shoulder blades. It holds an ID number a scanner reads in seconds, but on its own, that number does nothing, it has to be linked to your contact details in a registry before it's of any use. Dogs get loose more often than owners expect: squeezing under a gap in the fence, bolting during a Highveld thunderstorm, or slipping out through a gate that stuck open during load shedding. A registered chip is what turns a scan at an SPCA branch into a phone call home. A pet ID tag on the collar helps too, the fastest way for a neighbour to reach you without a scanner, but tags fall off and chips don't.
There's more to registration than a lost dog. There's no single national microchipping law here, but rabies vaccination is a legal requirement, and the SPCA strongly recommends microchipping every dog as standard practice. A registered chip also works as informal proof of ownership: if a dog changes hands through a sale, a rescue, or a dispute, the registry record shows who the dog is linked to and since when. Want extra recovery tools on top of the basics, SMS alerts or a live agent line? Compare our registration plans. No chip yet? Register your dog for free and add the chip number after the vet visit.
What you get from registering
Faster reunions
A registered chip cuts the time between an SPCA branch scanning your dog and you getting the call, sometimes from days down to hours.
Easier travel
Many countries require a registered chip before a dog can enter. Registering ahead avoids delays at customs, and a pet passport covers the paperwork side.
A record that holds up
If ownership's ever disputed, during a custody question, a rehoming, or a boarding mix-up, the registry shows who the dog is linked to and since when.
Less strain on shelters
Every dog reunited quickly frees up kennel space and staff time for strays that need it more.
Questions dog owners ask
What's the difference between microchipping and registering?
Microchipping is the physical implant, done once by a vet. Registering is the separate step of linking that chip's ID number to your name and contact details in a database. A dog can be chipped and still unregistered, and an unregistered chip can't lead anyone back to you.
Can I register my dog's chip in more than one database?
Yes. Registering in multiple databases widens your coverage, since not every shelter checks every registry. Registries on the AAHA lookup tool, United Pet Club included, cut down how much this matters.
I adopted a dog that already has a microchip. How do I register it in my name?
Contact the registry where the chip is currently listed and request an ownership transfer, using your adoption paperwork as proof. You can also register the chip fresh with United Pet Club, a newer registration takes precedence over an outdated one.
Do I need to renew the registration every year?
Depends on the registry. Some require periodic renewal, others don't. United Pet Club's registration is free for the life of your dog, with no renewal required.
What happens when a vet or SPCA branch scans my dog?
The scanner displays the chip's ID number and the registry it's recorded in. Staff look up that number, find your contact details, and call or email you directly.
How do I register my dog's microchip in South Africa?
Register it free with United Pet Club: create an account, enter the chip's 15-digit number, and add your contact details. There's no single national law making this compulsory, but rabies vaccination is required, and the SPCA strongly recommends microchipping every dog. The free lifetime plan never charges for updates, and it works with any brand of chip a local vet implants.
Register your dog today
It takes a few minutes to link your dog's chip to your contact details. Do it now, before you need it. Questions? Contact us any time.