Microchipping is quick and easy. It doesn’t even require anesthesia or numbing. Each chip is about the size of a grain of rice and is injected below the skin between the shoulder blades using a syringe. It feels a lot like getting a shot, and many animals don’t even realize anything is happening during the procedure. 

Once chipped, your pet has a permanent form of identification rescuers can use to reunite you with them if they ever get lost. Every microchip has a unique identification number linked to an online database. When you register the chip, you’ll enter your contact information, including your phone number and address. If rescuers find your pet and bring them to an animal shelter or veterinarian’s office, an employee will scan them for a microchip. Once a chip is detected, the scanner displays the ID number. The employee then uses that number to access your contact information in the database. As long as the information is current, they’ll then contact you. 

Microchips do not have GPS capabilities, so they won’t tell you where your pet is. They also don’t store your personal information. A microchip only stores the ID rescuers can use to look up your contact information.