A pet microchip is a very small electronic chip placed under your pet’s skin by a veterinarian. The chip stores an identification number that can be read using a special scanner. When a lost pet is brought to a vet clinic or animal shelter, staff can scan the chip and look up the owner’s contact details in a database.

Microchips are permanent and cannot fall off, which makes them useful as a long-term identification method. However, they do not actively help someone who finds a pet in a park, on the street, or in a neighborhood. Without a scanner, the microchip cannot be accessed or used by the public.