Help your pet get home. Microchip!

Pets are our much-loved family members. We want to keep them safe and with us for as long as possible.

A very important step in doing so is to make sure they are microchipped. And — making sure the microchip is registered and kept up to date. Here are some important points to keep in mind to keep your pet as safe as possible.

First — microchip your pet

Your vet’s office or local animal shelter can help you accomplish this. It’s important. Do it as soon as possible after getting your pet.

Register your pet’s microchip and note the number

Your vet’s office or animal shelter will likely do the registration for you, but ask to be sure!

If you want to register your pet on your own, all you need is their microchip number and then register it with the manufacturer’s registry and with the Found Animals registry at foundanimals.org.

Note: The Found Animals registry is “universal” and completely free. It’s part of the Found Animals Foundation, which is a nonprofit group that works to keep pets in their homes.

Note the type and brand of the microchip

Again, the facility doing the microchipping can tell you this important info. Perhaps store it in your phone or write down the information and put it in a safe place. Many people keep the number in their pet’s health folder.

If you can’t recall the type of chip or have lost the paperwork, call the office where your pet was microchipped to ask for help.

You may also look up the microchip number on the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup site — you put in the number, and the site will tell you if, and with which registry, the chip is registered. You’ll also learn how to update information, if needed.

Check and update your pet’s microchip as needed

If you move, or change your phone number or email address, update your pet’s microchip information online. Can’t remember if you have updated your info? Periodically check your pet’s microchip online to see that all information is A-OK.

If your pet becomes lost

Check on your neighborhood websites, contact your local humane society or animal control department, and post flyers with your pet’s information and photo. With a microchip in place, you have a much stronger chance of being reunited with your pet.

Here’s to a long and loving life with your pet!