Microchip in Dogs - What Is It?
A microchip (also: dog chip) for dogs is a small transponder officially named "RFID microchip." The size is roughly that of a long-grain rice, although there are also smaller chip sizes for smaller dog breeds. Each chip is encoded with a unique 15-digit number, which can only be scanned with a special reader, allowing the dog to be linked to its owners anywhere in the world.
The following information is retrieved from the ID chip:
- Country of origin of the dog
- Microchip number/personal identification number of the dog (unique worldwide)
- Manufacturer of the microchip
Why Should I Have My Dog Microchipped?
The microchip number is recorded in your dog's passport. If a found animal is microchipped, it is always a sign for animal shelters that the four-legged friend belongs to someone and (for the time being) will not be rehomed.
With the microchip number, you can also prove that the animal belongs to you in case of doubt. So if your dog decides to explore the neighboring areas on its own and gets picked up somewhere and taken to the animal shelter, you need to be able to prove that this dog truly belongs to you. You can then have the microchip number matched with the number in your dog's pet passport at the shelter, and you can take your four-legged friend back home.
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Büchst dir dein Hund einmal aus und wird von seinen Findern ins Tierheim gebracht, kann er dort anhand des Mikrochips seinem Zuhause zugeordnet werden.
Is the Chip Harmful to the Dog?
No, the microchip is made of anti-allergenic material, which is tissue-friendly and does not harm your pet. The chip is inserted in such a way that it fuses with the surrounding body tissue and cannot penetrate deeper skin layers or simply move around.
But what about radiation? The transponder is inactive, meaning: It does not emit any information or radiation. Only when a special reader is held close to the chip can it be activated and the code read. This type of microchip cannot be located via GPS or satellites and is solely for the identification of your pet.
How Is Microchipping Done in Dogs?
Microchips are only implanted by veterinarians. Often, dogs are microchipped at a puppy age. However, for homeless dogs found on the street, the chip can also be easily implanted later.
The small microchip is inserted without anesthesia using a syringe-like device with a thick hollow needle under the skin of your pet. For dogs, the transponder is standardized worldwide to be inserted on the left side of the neck. This takes only a few seconds and pricks your dog only briefly, comparable to a vaccination, but otherwise causes no pain. The chip does not disturb your four-legged friend. They cannot feel it and it will not break during a proper tussle with their best dog buddy.
To ensure your dog sets all four paws in a veterinary practice, a bit of persuasion is necessary? How great that most furry friends are totally into our tasty treats. Equipped with a bag full of delicious beef softies or chicken bites, every visit to the vet will now be just to your four-legged friend's taste.
Leckere Belohnungen für tapfere Hunde
Don't Forget to Register the Chip
Once the chip is implanted, it can be read immediately. However, this is of no use if your dog is not registered somewhere. For the chip or chip number to be linked to you when your dog is found, you must register the microchip number (also called transponder number) with a specialized organization. Veterinarians do not handle the registration!
Well-known organizations where you can register your dog include FINDEFIX (free of charge), Tasso e.V. (free of charge), and IFTA (for a fee). For registration, you typically need to provide the following information:
- Transponder/chip number (found in your dog's pet passport)
- Information about the dog: species/breed, name, gender, date of birth, coat color
- Name, address, current phone number, and possibly email address of the dog owners
- Possibly a second contact address or phone number
[TRANSLATION ERROR] Ein kleiner Piks und das wars schon - das Chippen ist vergleichbar mit einer Impfung und tut den meisten Hunden gar nicht weh. Anschließend die Registrierung aber nicht vergessen!
What Costs Can You Expect for Microchipping?
First, you pay the price for the microchip itself. This varies depending on the manufacturer, chip size, and technical quality. Typically, microchips for dogs cost between 30-60 euros. The smaller and more innovative the model, the more expensive it becomes. For the insertion of the chip, you will then pay according to the fee schedule for veterinarians (GOT) 19.23 euros. For reading a chip in a dog, between 3 and 10 euros is charged.
Is It Mandatory to Microchip Your Dog?
Currently, in Germany, there is a general legal obligation for a chip in dogs only if your dog belongs to a specific breed that is classified as "list dogs". However, which dogs are classified as list dogs is determined individually by the federal states. Additionally, there are various regulations depending on the federal state regarding whether and when a dog must be microchipped. You can inquire about this with your local city or municipal administration.
Microchipping is also mandatory if you want to take your dog on a holiday trip to another European country or overseas. In this case, it is legally required that your dog is microchipped upon entry and that the chip number is recorded in the EU pet passport.
Puppies from breeders are usually already microchipped. The reason for this is that microchipping puppies is a standard breeding requirement of common breeding associations.
