Please note: as of December 1st, for questions about your pet's care, please contact Pets Health Den Haag on 070 - 369 42 40.

Microchipping

Chipping and registering

Every year, many dogs and cats go missing, end up in the shelter and are unfortunately not always reunited with their owners. This is because it is difficult to trace the owners, especially as the description of many animals is similar. By chipping your dog or cat you ensure yourself that the chance of being reunited with your pet is at least as big as possible. The shelter or animal ambulance can then contact you.
In the past, people used to tattoo (pedigree) animals, but these tattoos faded over the years and became illegible. Many cats get a collar from their owner with a tube containing a note with address details. Unfortunately, we regularly see that the collars are lost. But there are also risks involved in wearing a collar. Cats can hang themselves from the collar or get their paws caught in the collar, causing injuries.
The best form of identification is the chipping of your pet. The chip cannot be lost and there are no risks to your animal's health.

What is a chip?

A chip is a small unbreakable tube of biopolymer, also called a transponder, the size of a grain of rice that is inserted under the skin. This tube contains a small piece of microelectronics on which a unique registration number is stored. This number can be read by means of a special reading device or 'reader'. When the reader is held close to the chip, a harmless signal is created in the chip, which the reader receives and converts into the registration number. If there is no reader in the vicinity, the chip does nothing. The registration number is registered in a database and linked to your name and address details.

 

The chip is inserted with a hollow needle under the skin in the neck between the shoulder blades. The chip will be encapsulated by the body in the surrounding tissue and will generally not move from its place. Chipping can be done during an appointment for e.g. vaccination, but can also be done when your pet comes to us for surgery.
We use the latest generation of chips, the smart transponders from Virbac. These new generation chips are even smaller, lighter and thinner, so the insertion needle is also thinner. And this chip fuses even better with the surrounding tissue.

Chipping and registration of dogs obligatory since 1 April 2013!

Since 1 April 2013, all puppies born after that date must be microchipped within seven weeks and the chip must also be registered with a designated database within eight weeks.  If you buy a (young) dog, make sure it is microchipped and inform the database that you are the new owner.

Dogs imported into the Netherlands from abroad must be registered within two weeks irrespective of their age. Dogs must already be microchipped when they enter the Netherlands. If you are offered a dog from abroad that is not chipped, you are dealing with illegal practices, so do not accept such an offer!

Owners of dogs that fall under the new Identification and Registration Regulations are obliged to keep the chip registration up to date. Changes (move, death, sale of the dog etc.) must be reported to the database within 14 days. If you do not do this, you risk a fine.
You can find out which databases fall under the 'designated' databases at www.chipjedier.nl and www.rvo.nl.

Checking the chip

Once your pet has been microchipped and registered, it is important to check the chip and registration regularly. Many owners have their animals microchipped but never check the registration again. Without the correct data in the database, the chip is worthless!

Ask the vet to read the chip during the annual check-up to make sure it is still working properly. Although the chance is very small, it is a piece of microelectronics and can therefore become inoperable, even though the transponder itself is unbreakable.
Next, enter the chip number on the website www.chipnummer.nl. On this website, the various databases come together and you can see with which database the chip is registered. Open the screen and check the contact details. This way you can be sure that you can be contacted if your animal is found somewhere and the chip is read. Please note that not all data is publicly accessible. Address details cannot be seen.  Check whether you have passed on the change of address to the database when you move house (most databases give you your own online account for this).

Pedigree dogs

Pedigree dogs are usually only registered with the Raad van Beheer. This does not give access to the owner's contact details. Make sure that your pedigree dog is registered with a database in addition to the Raad van Beheer database!

Return to Medical information