How to check a pet microchip?
Have you found a dog or are you thinking of taking in a cat? It is important to check whether the animal has an owner before making a final decision. But to do this, you will need to know how to read a chip. Here are the steps to follow.
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It has been several days a lost cat has been spending its time in your garden, or you have found a stray dog during your walk. You don't feel like leaving this poor animal like that, defenceless and completely alone. You therefore decide to find its keeper. But how do you find him?
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How to find out if a lost pet has a keeper?
The first thing you’ll do to reunite the pet and his owner, is to check if the pet is wearing a collar or an ID tag. If not, you’ll check if he is microchipped - note that a microchip is not the same as a GPS, but it contains the contact information to find the keeper back. Here are the two steps to check a chip.
Have the pet scanned by a professional
Take the stray pet to a veterinarian, a dog warden or a dog rescue centre to get him scanned. It’s painless and only takes a few seconds. The microchip reader scans the cat or dog microchip and reveals the pet's unique identification number. The cat or dog ID number is then linked to the database in which it is registered.
Contact the right database
The vet then contacts the database to find out the owner's details (phone number and keeper’s name). As the information contained in this file is confidential, it is the vet who is responsible for notifying the owner that his dog or cat has been found.
What if nothing is indicated
If the microchip reader does not indicate anything and the dog or cat has no tattoo, then it has no identity. The search for the owner may then be more complicated.
If all measures have been taken to find the owner, and the pet does not appear to have one, then you can consider adopting the pet.
Should you have your own microchip scanner?
Why having your own scanner
Even though it's not a legal requirement, owning a microchip scanner for pets can be very helpful. If you often find lost animals, it’s a quick way to check if they’re microchipped and registered. The scanner reads the chip and displays the unique pet ID. This microchip contains a number linked to a database with the owner's details, helping you act fast before calling a vet or shelter.
The halo scanner option
The Halo Scanner is one of the most trusted tools for pet owners and rescuers. It's a universal microchip reader that scans most types of pet microchips. When the chip is read, the number appears instantly. If the chip was marked as lost, the screen shows “Reported missing by” with the database’s contact info. This can be your proof a microchip has been fitted.
This device supports USB and Bluetooth connections. It lets you manage microchip scanning data directly from your computer or smartphone for faster action.
Is there a microchip reader app?
Unfortunately, there is no pet chip reader app that you can download to your phone to detect or scan a microchip. However, there are apps to use combined with a scanner.
You’ll first need to check whether your phone is compatible with a microchip scanner. The scanner will have an app to track the microchip number.
Conclusion
When you find a lost animal, bring it to a vet, dog warden or rescue centre to check for a chip. This microchip scanning step will help you find out if the pet has an owner. This will allow to start the search process.
Continue reading our guide
This article is part of a complete guide on the subject. Do not miss the next chapters.
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