The importance of chipping

Since April 1, 2013, it has been mandatory in the Netherlands for dogs to be microchipped. For cats, this obligation only applies if they are traveling abroad on vacation. Although it’s (not yet) mandatory for cats, it is highly recommended. If your pet has been microchipped by the vet, it’s also important to register the chip with a database and ensure that your contact information is correct.

Throughout the year, cats arrive at the shelter, both with and without microchips. We always check for a chip upon intake. If the animal has one, we can look up the number. The chip number is linked to your details as the owner. This way, a lost cat can be reunited with its owner—which makes everyone happy! Unfortunately, we often encounter pets with chips that have never been registered. So make sure to register the chip in a database!

If an animal isn’t microchipped, finding the owner becomes a difficult task. Every animal brought in, with or without a chip, stays at the shelter for at least two weeks. This gives the owner time to locate their pet. We report found animals to Amivedi, a national website for missing and found animals. With a bit of luck, a match is made and the animal can go back home. But if after two weeks no one has come forward, it’s time to find the animal a new home.

To avoid this situation, we strongly recommend that you always have your pet microchipped! It’s a quick procedure that causes little discomfort to the dog or cat but can be incredibly valuable in the future.

Recently moved? Update your chip registration!

If your pet is microchipped, always ensure that your contact information in the database is up-to-date. Got a new phone number or moved house? Update it as soon as possible via the chip registration website. If your pet escapes in the new neighborhood, they might not yet know the way home. It’s important that the chip information is current so you can be quickly reunited.

On the website www.chipnummer.nl, you can check whether your pet’s chip is registered. If it isn’t, take care of it immediately. This can be done via the websites of various databases. Make sure you register the chip with at least one of them. There are costs involved, which vary per site, but choose one that allows you to update the details yourself later.

Every shelter animal leaves with a chip!

All animals we place are microchipped, and the chip is registered in your name upon adoption. This is how we do our part to create a world where pets and owners are never more than one phone call apart.