UK Pet Microchip Databases Explained: Petlog vs PETtrac

UK pet microchip databases explained: PETtrac, Petlog, and more

If your dog or cat is microchipped, their unique 15-digit number is only useful if it's linked to up-to-date contact details on a UK pet microchip database. Confusingly, there isn't just one — there are over a dozen approved databases, including Petlog and PETtrac, and knowing how they work (and how to check yours) can make the difference between a fast reunion and a stray sitting in kennels while a vet tries to track you down.

Why microchip databases exist

A microchip itself stores nothing but a number. When a vet, rescue centre, or dog warden scans a lost pet, that scanner reads the chip and returns a code — nothing more. The real information (your name, phone number, and address) lives on a separate database that the chip's number points to. No working link between chip and database means a scanned pet with no way home, which is exactly why keeping your registration current matters as much as the chipping itself.

The law behind it

Since 2016, all dogs in the UK must be microchipped by 8 weeks old. From 10 June 2024, that requirement extended to cats too, under the Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023 — owners have to get cats over 20 weeks chipped, with details on a compliant database, or risk a fine of up to £500. Scotland and Wales already require chipped dogs by 8 weeks; as of now, compulsory cat microchipping hasn't been extended to those nations. Free-living cats with little human dependency (farm or community cats) are exempt.

Meet the main databases

England alone has around 15 government-recognised, Defra-compliant microchip databases, and they're designed to talk to one another behind the scenes. The two you'll hear about most:

• Petlog — run by the Kennel Club, the UK's largest database with over 13 million pets registered. Offers a free basic tier and paid tiers (roughly £15–£39) for extra features like instant online updates.
• PETtrac — maintained by AVID, a 24/7 reunification service with a one-off registration fee (around £12) and an SMS reunification tool called TEXTtrac.

Other compliant databases include Animal Tracker, Microchip Central, and Identibase, among others. Because pricing and subscription models vary — and some databases have introduced annual renewal charges — it's worth checking what you originally signed up for so a lapsed subscription doesn't quietly disconnect your details.

How to check which database your pet is on

Don't know where your pet is registered? You're not alone — many owners lose track after moving vets or buying a pet that came pre-chipped. Two free options:

• Use a lookup tool like check-a-chip.co.uk or Petlog's own look-up service, enter the microchip number, and it'll point you to the right database.
• Ask your vet to scan your pet at their next visit — most practices can tell you the registering database on the spot, and it's a good moment to double-check everything else is current too.

Keeping your details up to date

This is the step people forget. A microchip registered correctly in 2019 is useless if you've since changed your phone number or moved house and never updated it. Whenever your circumstances change, log into your database provider directly and update your address, phone number, and emergency contact — most let you do this online in a few minutes, though some charge a small admin fee.

This is also where the gap between microchips and modern ID becomes obvious: a chip requires someone to scan your pet, then separately look up a database, before they can reach you. A [PawLink](/#features) NFC tag skips that entirely — anyone who finds your pet just taps their phone on the collar tag and sees your live profile immediately, no scanner or database login required. Owners can update contact details, medical notes, and even switch on Lost Mode instantly, so the information a finder sees is never out of date. It's a good complement to microchipping, not a replacement — the chip is your pet's permanent legal ID, while the tag is what gets a finder in touch with you in seconds.

The bottom line

Microchipping only works if the database behind it has your correct details. Know which database your pet is registered with, check it's still compliant if it's an older chip, and update your information the moment anything changes. For more advice like this, visit the [PawLink Safety Hub](/safety-hub), or [get your PawLink tag](/#pricing) to give finders an even faster way to reach you.