Microchipping
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What Is microchipping?
Microchipping is permanent pet identification. The process is safe, simple, permanent and designed to quickly identify lost pets and reunite them with their owners.
The microchip, which is about the size of a grain of rice (12mm), is injected beneath the surface of your pet's skin between the shoulder blades. The process is similar to a routine vaccination and, takes only a few seconds. No anesthetic is required.
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Microchipping at San Diego Humane Society
Microchipping is offered by appointment at San Diego Humane Society. We administer HomeAgain microchips which are 15 digits, 134.2 kHz, and ISO compliant.
Cost: $25 (includes registration). Please bring a government-issued ID.
What happens if I lose my pet?
Microchips are a form of lifelong ID for pets. They do not have GPS capabilities and do not have an internal energy source. They are read with a device called a microchip scanner which emits a low radio frequency, allowing it to read the microchip's unique ID code. Animal shelters and veterinary clinics use microchip scanners to retrieve your pet's unique ID. They then work with the microchip company to retrieve your contact information, thereby helping you reunite with your pet. (Please note that an ID trace is not automatically performed every time a pet's microchip is scanned at any location.)
Here at San Diego Humane Society, we use HomeAgain microchips. Once a HomeAgain microchip is registered, it is permanently linked to a record of your contact information. It also comes with a personal listing in HomeAgain's lost pet database.
If your pet ever becomes lost, it is important to report this to the microchip company! This way, if a community member finds your pet and brings them to a shelter, veterinary clinic or other location to try to reunite them with you, the microchip company will be able to see that you are looking for your pet.
The importance of updating your microchip
In the event your pet is found, the microchip is how animal shelters and vet offices retrieve your contact information. It is important that your pet's microchip is updated with your most current address, phone number, email address, and alternate contacts so that you can be reached as soon as possible.
How to update your microchip information: Contact your microchip company directly to review your information and update if necessary. Many microchip companies allow owners to update information online.
How to find out which company your microchip is registered with: Visit www.petmicrochiplookup.org and enter your pet's microchip number to determine if your microchip is registered and with which company.
How to find out if your pet is microchipped or how to obtain the microchip number: If you are unsure if your pet has a microchip already, consult with the party you adopted from or check in with your vet to see if they have the number in their records. If there is no microchip number on-file, speak with your vet about bringing your pet in to be scanned.
Save This Life microchip company recently closed, meaning that microchips from the company are no longer connected to a database. If a pet with one of these microchips is scanned, the owner's information will not be found. Fortunately, if your pet has a Save This Life microchip, you don't need to get them a new chip — you can simply register the existing number with a new company.