Pet registration is a must for pet owners in various parts of the world, not only in Australia. Mostly it's for the purpose of recording the number of pets in specific parts of the country and ensuring the safety of the pet in case they go missing.

If your registered and microchipped cat or dog gets lost, the chances of the animal being reunited with you are much higher. Often, unregistered animals end up in shelters and pounds.

Pet microchips

Microchipping your pet isn’t the stuff of science fiction, but it is a common practice across the country. Microchips are permanent methods of electronic identification, making it ideal as a means of tracking pets. The microchip used on pet animals is usually very small, not larger than a grain of rice, and placed under the animal’s skin.

The microchip is usually placed between the animal’s shoulder blades, near the back of the neck. Each of these microchips has a unique number, which can be detected by a microchip scanner and recorded on a database. The number should be accompanied by your contact details, as well as important information about your pet such as any allergies or health issues.

Finding your lost pet

Should your pet cat or dog wander away from your home and be picked up by a shelter, the shelter people can easily scan the microchip and contact you right away. Always makes sure that your contact information is updated, especially if you change your phone number or move houses. If a new family adopts your pet, you should remind the new owners to update the information on the microchip as well.

Getting your pet microchipped

Ideally, the pet should be microchipped before you buy or adopt the animal. This is recommended because it’s easier to track where the cat or dog came from. If your pet is not currently microchipped and registered with a database, you can always make an appointment with a veterinarian who would be happy to perform the procedure for you.

Even if you live in an area where microchipping is not compulsory, doing so for your pet will come invaluable in the future.

Microchipping is a mandatory requirement for all pets in New South Wales, Queensland, Victoria, Western Australia, and the Australian Capital Territory.