Fitting a microchip

Your pet must first be fitted with a microchip to identify it. You can get your pet fitted with a microchip at any time but it must be done before it is vaccinated against rabies. Your vet should read the microchip number in your pet and record it on your pet’s vaccination record at the time of vaccination.

Make sure that the microchip number is also correctly recorded on the EU pet passport or third country official veterinary certificate at the time of issue.

The microchip should be inserted according to the manufacturer’s instructions (and any national rules that may apply). To ensure that the microchip works, its number should be read before and after it has been fitted.

Get your vet to read the microchip every time you visit.

Type of microchip

We do not specify a particular type or brand of microchip to be used but, in Europe, ISO (International Standards Organisation) Standard microchips meeting specifications 11784 or Annex A of ISO Standard 11785 are generally used.

Microchip reading

ISO Standards are used in Europe, so vets and transport companies who undertake pet travel checks are likely to have only ISO-compatible scanners. If the microchip does not meet either of these ISO Standards, it is your responsibility to ensure that the microchip can be read upon entry to the UK.

This may mean that you will need to provide a microchip reader (at your expense) to allow the chip to be read. Some ports of entry may have equipment capable of reading other types of microchip and you should check this with them before you travel.

If you do not, your animal may be refused entry. It can be licensed into quarantine and released early once it has met all of the requirements of the Pet Travel Scheme.

If an appropriate scanner does not read your animal’s microchip at the first attempt, further attempts should be made moving the scanner slowly and thoroughly over the animal. A more powerful scanner should be tried if available.

• What if my pet’s microchip fails? (PDF)

Updating the microchip database before travelling

If your pet’s microchip number is registered on a database, consider updating its record with your holiday details before you travel. This could help re-unite you with your pet should it go missing while on holiday.

See also

• Pets – UK microchip manufacturers and suppliers (PDF)

Attachments

• Pets - UK microchip manufacturers and suppliers (pdf, 492 KB)
• Pets - What if my pet’s microchip fails? (pdf, 484 KB)