Why a microchip alone won't get your pet home

Microchipping is mandatory — but it's only half the story

In the UK, it's been a legal requirement to microchip dogs since 2016, and cats since 2024. The logic is sound: a permanent, unforgeable identifier embedded under the skin, readable by any vet or shelter with a scanner.

But here's the part that's less well known: the microchip is only as useful as the database record attached to it. And that record goes out of date every time you move house, change your phone number, or switch your email address.

The database problem nobody talks about

When your vet microchips your pet, the chip number is registered with one of several UK databases — PETtrac, Petlog, Microchip Central, and others. The registration is your responsibility, not theirs.

Now consider: how many times have you updated your entry since registration? If the answer is "I'm not sure" or "I don't think I have", you're not alone. Research suggests a significant proportion of microchipped pets in the UK have out-of-date details on their database record. That's the leading reason why reunification fails even when a pet is chipped.

A vet scans the chip, gets the number, calls the database, gets your old phone number, leaves a voicemail on a number you haven't used for three years. Your pet stays in the shelter.

What microchips can't do

A microchip is passive. It contains only a number. It cannot:

• Tell a finder who to contact
• Show what medications your pet needs
• Provide a photo for identification
• Send you an alert when someone finds your pet
• Show whether your pet has been reported missing

For any of that, a finder needs to get your pet to a vet or shelter, wait for someone with a scanner, contact the database, and hope the details are current. That's a lot of steps — and a lot of places the process can break down.

Verifying your chip details with ChipNDoodle

PawLink's Identity tab includes a one-tap microchip verification powered by ChipNDoodle, which searches across multiple UK and international databases simultaneously. You can confirm your chip number is registered and which database holds the record, then go directly to that database to update your details.

We also show when you last checked, with a 6-month reminder — because contact details change more often than most people realise.

What a digital tag adds

A PawLink NFC tag bridges the gap between microchip and finder. Anyone can tap it with any modern smartphone — no scanner, no vet visit, no database lookup required. They see your contact details, your pet's photo, their medical notes, and a direct way to notify you instantly.

The microchip and the NFC tag serve different purposes. The chip is the permanent legal record. The tag is the practical tool that gets your pet home faster.

Used together — with up-to-date database records and a complete PawLink profile — you've covered every realistic scenario a finder might face.