What to Do About Your Pet’s Microchip After Adoption

Bringing home a new pet is exciting, and sometimes a little overwhelming. Between adjusting routines, gathering supplies, and helping your furry friend feel at home, it’s easy to overlook one important detail: their microchip.

Most rescues and shelters implant microchips before adoption, but the registration process isn’t always straightforward. Sometimes the facility registers the chip in your name, other times they just hand you paperwork and leave the rest to you. Either way, it’s critical to make sure your pet’s chip is linked to your up-to-date contact information. Without that, the microchip can’t do its job of reuniting you if your pet ever goes missing.

At Pawbase, we hear from new adopters all the time who aren’t sure what to do next. That’s why we’ve created a platform that lets you register any microchip, from any brand, for free, and manage your pet’s information in one simple, mobile-friendly app.

Why Microchip Registration Matters

• 1 in 3 pets go missing at some point in their lives.

• Collars and tags can fall off, but a registered microchip is permanent identification.

• Shelters and vets rely on microchip registries to reunite pets with their owners.

• If your chip isn’t registered, or has outdated info, it won’t help bring your pet home.

Step-by-Step Guide for New Pet Owners

Step 1 – Gather your pet’s microchip details

If you don’t know the number, have your pet scanned for free at a vet or shelter.

Step 2 – Check where it’s registered

Use the AAHA Pet Microchip Lookup Tool to see which registry holds the chip’s data. This is the same tool that most vets and shelters use when scanning a lost pet, it’s essentially a “registry of registries” that points to the database where your pet’s microchip is recorded.

Step 3 – Confirm and update your contact information

Reach out to the listed registry and make sure your phone number, email, and address are all correct.

• If the chip is still registered under a previous owner, or you can’t log in, call the registry’s support team with your pet’s chip number, they can help transfer or update the record.

Step 4 – Add a backup registration

You can register a microchip in more than one database. Even if your pet already has a listing, adding a free backup, like Pawbase, gives shelters and vets another way to find your contact info quickly.

How Pawbase Helps

With Pawbase, you can:

• Register any chip for free, no matter the brand.

• Update your contact info anytime, at no cost.

• Access optional premium features like:

• GPS scan alerts when your pet’s chip is scanned.

• Lost pet posters you can generate instantly.

• Smart collar tags that link directly to your pet’s profile.

Pawbase makes registration simple, secure, and accessible from anywhere.

Final Thoughts

Registering your pet’s microchip takes only a few minutes, but it can make all the difference if your pet ever goes missing. It’s one of the most important steps you can take for their safety and for your peace of mind.

At Pawbase, we’re here to make sure no pet is ever left unprotected. Start by registering your pet’s chip today.