Microchipping and registering pets

In short: A microchip under the skin gives a pet a unique number that allows it to be identified reliably. For a lost animal to find its way home, this number must also be recorded in a pet register.

In more detail: The chip itself only stores a number, not an address or location data. Only through registration can animal shelters, vets or authorities trace the owners.

In detail

• The chip: It is about the size of a grain of rice and is inserted under the skin by the vet with a needle, in dogs and cats usually on the left side of the neck.
• No GPS: A microchip does not transmit on its own and cannot locate an animal; it is read with a scanner from a short distance.
• Registration: In Germany there are several pet registers, such as TASSO or FINDEFIX run by the German Animal Welfare Federation, where registration is free of charge.
• Keep details up to date: After a move, a new phone number or a change of owner, the details in the register should be updated straight away.
• Travel within the EU: Travelling with a dog, cat or ferret within the EU requires a microchip and an EU pet passport with a valid rabies vaccination.
• Regional requirements: In some German federal states, identification of dogs is mandatory; the exact rules differ by state and municipality.
• Outdoor cats: Some towns and municipalities require identification, registration and neutering for cats that go outdoors.
• Checks: During routine visits, the vet can scan the chip and check that it works and that the number matches the register.
• In addition: A tag with a phone number on the collar can also help, because finders without a scanner can get in touch directly (silvester-angst-bei-haustieren, tierheim-adoption-und-seriose-zuechter).