
If you’re a pet owner, you’ll probably know whether they’ve been microchipped. This tiny microchip - about the size of a grain of rice - is usually inserted into the scruff of your pet’s neck when they’re young and has important identification details so they can be returned to you should they ever get lost.
However, there seems to be a widespread knowledge gap about microchipping, ranging from what’s expected of you as a pet owner to the vast number of UK pet databases your pet could be listed on.
As Thursday, August 15th, is Check the Chip Day, is just around the corner, we thought it would be a good time to give you the lowdown on all things pet chipping. This blog will hopefully give you all the information to keep your pet’s microchip up to date and to choose a pet database that does everything possible to keep your pet safe.
Pet chipping in the UK
Every pet in the UK needs to be chipped, from dogs to cats to horses to rabbits—even tortoises!

Microchipping for dogs by the time they’re eight weeks old became compulsory in 2016, and the same law for cats came into effect in 2023. Chipping is usually done by a vet and takes only seconds; however, if you picked up your pet from a breeder or rescue centre, they legally should have been chipped already.
It’s also compulsory to keep your pet’s details up to date; you risk a hefty fine of £500 if you do not! There are many of pet owners that aren’t aware of this. Many don’t know where their pet’s information is even stored, and even those that do are often shocked to find that most pet database providers charge steep admin fees for making small changes.
Know where your pet’s data is stored
Do you know who your pet is listed with? There are 21 pet databases in the UK alone!
15 of these are registered by DEFRA, but that’s a lot of places to check if you aren’t sure—and even more confusing if you have a few pets assigned to different databases!
Being DEFRA registered means they must maintain their records, answer requests, and back up their data daily, but even the ‘top’ UK pet database brands have received a high volume of negative press over the years, from everything from losing the data of millions of beloved pets to charging a premium to pet owners for simply changing their details.
According to recent research, over 30% of pet owners have no idea who their pet is registered with!
You can start by getting their chip checked.
If you haven’t recently, check your chip!
Does your pet have a chip, but the data is useless? Your pet’s details are as important as any other identification records in your life, so learn how to check your pet’s microchip to be sure their information is up to date.
When your pet came into your life, you should have received a confirmation letter or email with their chip information and ID number. If you’ve misplaced this, don’t worry; you can check your pet’s chip by taking them to the vet for a quick scan. Once you have your pet’s 15-digit ID number and the adjoining database information, keep a copy safe.
All DEFRA-compliant databases should have a chip checker on their site, so once you have your pet’s ID number, you enter it into the homepage of a compliant database, to find out for certain where your pet’s details are stored.
This site https://www.check-a-chip.co.uk/ could be helpful for instance but search for one that suits you.
When things change, keep your pet’s chip up to date
It’s the law to keep your pet’s details up to date, and it’s in your own interests—you don’t want your missing pet to be returned to the wrong house!
Despite this, over 20% of pet owners (surveyed in 2021) who have moved home admit they didn’t update their pet's records when they did so. Combined with more than a third who said they didn’t know who their pet was registered with, that’s a lot of dated pet details floating around in the ether.
Moving house is full of overwhelming admin and documentation, but remember, your pet is changing addresses too. Inform your pet database whenever you move home, your phone number changes, or if your pet passes away.
Keep your pet’s records up to date.
Choosing a pet database
Most pet database providers charge pet owners steep admin fees to make simple changes to their details, but this doesn't have to be the case for you.
Try and look for:
100% free to use - including when changing your pet’s details.
Open to all pets, so you can store all your animals’ details in one place.
DEFRA-registered.
With over 13 million dogs and over 12.5 million cats currently living in the UK, we believe pet chipping can be done better, and it’s about time, too!
Now that you’re fully aware of how to check your pet’s chip and keep it updated, sign up for a pet database that ticks all (or at least some) of the above points.
This will be invaluable to keep your adored pets safe, sound and found.