Do animal shelters always scan for microchips?

Although we can’t guarantee that a shelter or veterinary clinic will always be able to read every microchip, the risk that this will happen is very low, and getting even lower.

Do all shelters check for microchips?

A microchip, the size of a grain of rice, is injected under the animal’s skin between the shoulder blades. Each chip has a unique number that is registered with a national database along with the pet owner’s address and phone number. All animals admitted to an L.A. Animal Services Shelter are scanned for a microchip.

Do vets routinely check microchips?

Vets must scan all new registering pets and check the database registration. Once a pet has been rehomed it is a costly and complex procedure, resulting in the fact you may not get your microchipped pet back.

How do you check if an animal has a microchip?

Look for a tag on the dog’s collar. If the dog does not have an official ID tag on their collar, look for a bespoke collar tag bearing wording such as “I am microchipped” or “microchipped.” Know that this is not the same as a tag engraved with the dog’s name and phone number.

Do microchips need to be registered?

A microchip does NOT store any of your information. For the microchip to work, it needs to be registered in an online registry. Without registration, the microchip is useless, just as your social security number would be meaningless unless it correlated back to your name in a database.

Can my dog have 2 microchips?

Getting a 2nd chip isn’t a problem for the dog. They can do it when she had the teeth removed. The most chips I’ve seen in a single dog is 4, for various complicated reasons. The dog was absolutely fine!

Where do they put microchips in dogs?

For dogs, the standard site for microchip placement is in the subcutaneous tissue along the dorsal midline (the spine) between the dog’s shoulder blades. For correct placement, your dog should be either standing or lying on his stomach.

Can you feel if a dog has a microchip?

In most cases, you can’t feel a microchip in a dog when it has been properly inserted between the dog’s shoulder blades. If a microchip moves around, however, sometimes owners can feel it, especially in smaller dogs with thin fur.

What happens if you find a dog with a chip?

You’ll be able to find your dog if his microchip has been scanned at a vet clinic or a shelter to retrieve pet and owner information. If you kept your contact details updated on the microchip registry, whoever finds your pet and scans its microchip should be able to reach you immediately.

Where to check if a cat is chipped?

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) offers a universal pet microchip lookup (www.petmicrochiplookup.org) where you can find the registry in which the microchip is enrolled. The lookup will provide you with the registry’s phone number and/or website.

Can you scan a dogs microchip with your phone?

Unfortunately, no. A smart phone can not and will not ever be able to read a pet’s microchip. There are no apps for iphone or android that do this and there never will be.