Microchipping your pet has become one of the most important parts of new pet ownership, second to getting your pet affordable Pet Insurance.
The day your pet goes missing, is the day you will really appreciate the effort you made to have your pets microchipped, and keeping their information up to date as you change address or phone numbers.
Today we will take you through the steps that you need to follow to have your pet microchipped, and we discuss most of the frequently asked questions of Microchipping your pet.
How does a microchip get inserted?
After viewing the video above we now know a little more about how a microchip is implanted. What do these companies have to say about their products and what do they offer to you with regards to the cost of their microchip services and enrolling your pet?
Step 1
To have your pets microchipped:
Where to go to microchip an animal:
Step 2
Which Microchip Brand will suit you best? Take a look at how they differ in price, size and after-care service options.
The following four companies provide this service to you and your pets should they ever get lost or stolen one day:
Cost | Once off fee. No yearly renewable fee. (Unit costs are varied depending on who provides the microchip to you: The vet, an animal shelter etc). |
Registration | The person who administered the microchip will register your pet. You are then guided to do a transfer of ownership online. |
Test your pets' microchip | Click Here to enter your pets’ microchip number and see if the information is still accurate. |
Can any person (Other than a Vet or an Animal Shelter) purchase these microchips and offer it as a service to the public? | Yes. Just CLICK HERE and they will be in touch with you. |
Benefits of GetMeKnown:
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Cost |
Annual R80 or a once-off fee of R475. The first year free. These costs cover the network of microchip scanners at 145 SPCA branches and welfare organisations throughout South Africa, which have been provided and maintained FREE OF CHARGE by Identipet since 1989. Identipet is the ONLY microchip company with this animal welfare social responsibility program. |
Registration | The Vet or SPCA will manually complete the form or on-line upload to the Identipet website. Registration and data changes are submitted to Identipet via email, fax, phone or post, but are only actioned in terms of a strict policy to protect the integrity and security of owner and pet. Identipet data records stand up in court. |
Test your pets' microchip | Contact Identipet on Tel: (011) 957-3455 / 6 OR 082 6133 887 to confirm that your pet’s details are correct and up to date. OR Click Here to enter your pets’ microchip number and view the data logged on the Identipet National Animal Database. You can also print a copy of your pet's microchip certificate. |
Can any person (Other than a Vet or an Animal Shelter) purchase these microchips and offer it as a service to the public? | No. Identipet only supplies microchips to registered animal professionals, bona fide farmers and breeders. To register call (011) 957-3455 / 6, or download a form off www.identipet.com Once registered you will get an account and pin number. The microchips start at a cost of R99.45 excl VAT each. Additional discounts are given to SPCAs and animal welfare organisations, as well as bulk orders. |
Benefits of the IdentiPet Microchip:
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Cost |
Once off fee. No annual fee. (Unit costs are varied depending on who provides the microchip to you: The vet, an animal shelter etc). |
Registration | The pet owner is responsible to go online and register yourself a profile and then add your pet/s. Welfare organizations and Vet practises can also create their own occupational profile and add their clients' animals to this as an added service. At the end of the day, it is still the owner's responsibility to check that the data on the system is correct. |
Test your pets' microchip | Click Here to enter your pets’ microchip number and see if the information is still accurate. |
Can any person (Other than a Vet or an Animal Shelter) purchase these microchips and offer it as a service to the public? | We feel this is a specialized procedure that needs to be done by veterinarian professionals. |
Benefits of the FiveStar Microchip:
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ost |
Once off fee.. No annual fee. (Unit costs are varied depending on who provides the microchip to you: The vet, an animal shelter etc). |
Registration | BackHome microchips are only distributed to registered veterinarians. The implanting veterinarian completes the registration form and either fax or scans it to Backhome. Details can also be entered by the vet directly online. Before they allow for "a change of ownership" a form must be completed and signed by both parties, the forms are available on the website. |
Test your pets' microchip | CLICK HERE to enter your pets microchip number and see if the information is still accurate. |
Can any person (Other than a Vet or an Animal Shelter) purchase these microchips and offer it as a service to the public? | No, we only supply our products to veterinarians, as we believe this is a specialised procedure and must be done correctly. |
Benefits of the Virbac/BackHome Microchip:
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Step 3
Frequently Asked Questions about Microchipping a Pet
- Is it painful?
No more than any inoculation (says the doctor). Of course, it must hurt a little. Give your pet a little treat afterwards, they deserve it! - What does the average microchip cost the pet owner?
The microchip and its insertion by a vet or SPCA can cost between R250– R450. Your pet is then identifiable for life. The microchip never “wears” out. Your pet will always have an identity. It is the ultimate act of love that you can give your pet.
- Are these microchips a type of a tracker system?
Microchips do not contain a battery, nor are they charged like a cell-phone. Therefore they do not send out a signal, and consequently cannot be tracked. There is no implantable animal microchip that can be tracked like a stolen car. Microchips are an "electronic ID book" for your pet. If lost the pet is scanned at a vet or SPCA for the microchip number. The information logged against that number is then accessed from the database of the relevant microchip company.
- What happens if a pet owner moves overseas or the animal is exported?
The pet will have to be re-registered in the database of the country of a new residence.
- If an animal is lost or stolen, can it be re-registered by someone else?
No, before implanting a microchip, the vet will check that the pet is not already implanted. For a change of ownership in the database, documentation is required and the currently registered owner will be contacted to confirm that the pet has been sold/given to the new applicant.
- Why is it important to capture the current details of the pet owner?
This will ensure that pets found are re-homed as soon as possible, with the minimal amount to stress for the pet and the owner.
Are there any risks involved?
Do microchips cause cancer? The pet microchips and cancer question has surfaced and re-surfaced over the years, causing worry for those who have had their pets microchipped. Are microchips worth it? Let's look at the pros and cons.
The Pros
- Millions of dogs, cats, horses, llamas and other animals have been microchipped without any reported problems.
- Thousands of animals have been reunited with their people after becoming lost or stolen. According to one microchip manufacturer, 10,000 pets are reunited with their people each month thanks to their microchips.
- Microchips work even after collars break or tags fall off.
- Vets, shelters and pet owners can lookup and reunite pets and their people.
The Cons
- Potential for injury or infection with implantation.
- On rare occasion, microchips have migrated to other areas of the body other than the shoulder area.
- Some animals have been reported to have tumours at the microchip location. Was the tumour caused by the chip? The exact cause has not been proven at this time.
A pet microchip creates a forever bond between you and the pet you love. Microchip your pets today, you’ll give your pets the best chance of coming back home to you.
Step 4
Once you have decided which product will suit you best, diarise an annual update to ensure that your pets' information is still visible and on the system that you have chosen.
By doing so you should:
- have your dog scanned at any vet, and then
- contact the microchip company and confirm that your details are accurate on their system.
Microchip Set | Microchip Reader |
Most people do not see what the microchip packaging looks like, which is why we also added some graphics in for you below to see exactly what the product entails. |
The microchip readers all look very similar to this reader in the image below |
From there, the cost of owning a pet has increased dramatically over the past few years due to the advancement of the veterinary service offering. Not many pet parents can afford much needed medical procedures which they are bound to experience during their pets' lifetime. That is why we recommend that you get pet insurance for your pet today.
Note: Please check each service provider for updated fees as they might change from time to time.