Microchipping is the starting point: keeping details updated is key!
Did you know? 12 dogs per day are put down in the UK because the owners can’t be traced or contacted (even though the dogs are microchipped). So, it’s equally as important to ensure your pets microchip is kept up to date.
Your pet’s microchip contains vital information, including:
- Your full name, address and contact details.
- The breeder’s licence number and the local authority in which they are licenced (if applicable).
- Your pet’s assigned identification number, name, gender, breed, date of birth and even their colour.
The requirement to have your dog microchipped has been enforceable by law since April 2016. It will also be a legal requirement from 10 June 2024 for all cats to be microchipped. Microchips must be kept up-to-date with the owner’s details as the microchip becomes redundant if the details aren’t current.
If your pet is found, they will be scanned at the veterinary practice or animal welfare shelter they have been taken to, the team will then contact the national 24 hour database to find your details and reunite your pet with you.
Where are your pets microchip details kept?
Over eight million pet owners trust Petlog with their information, and so do we. We use the Petlog database to store your pet’s details. Once your pet has been microchipped, the team will add your microchip information to Petlog, this is the United Kingdom’s largest database, run by the Kennel Club.
You can become a premium member on Petlog for a small fee and this will cover your pet for a lifetime’s worth of changing details, owners etc. enabling you to:
- Send a 30-mile radius lost pet alert to registered vets, rescue centres and dog wardens
- Update your details as often as you want through the mydog or mycat apps or online
- Add holiday contact details when you’re away/abroad
- Report your lost pet instantly via the mydog or mycat app, SMS, online or phone
- Add emergency contact details
- Download and create lost pet posters and templates
If you aren’t a premium customer with Petlog, we recommend you contact the Petlog team immediately if your pet goes missing. The team’s lost and found lines are open 24/7, 365 days a year and are based in the UK. They will also be able to change or update your pet’s microchip details – just tell them your pet’s 15-digit microchip number and your Petlog ID number (you can find both of these on your printed certificate which is given to you after we give your pet their microchip).
If you don’t know your pet’s ID number just pop into the clinic for a quick and easy scan, we can then get the number for you. It’ll only take a few seconds!
Failure to update details can lead to a warning, if this notice is ignored you could be fined up to £500, if you still don’t comply with the law after this your dog could be seized by an enforcer. So please be safe and a responsible owner and keep your details up-to-date.