As National Microchipping Month reminds us this June, it’s not enough to chip your pet. Keeping those details up to date could be the difference between lost and found, writes Caroline Zambrano, Pet Journalist.
When Eliza Kennedy’s dog Mazzy wriggled through a loose section of fence in her Brisbane yard, she had no idea how quickly things could spiral. The one-year-old Australian Shepherd wasn’t wearing her ID tag at the time — it had recently fallen off her collar. By the time Eliza realised she was missing, the curious pup was already several blocks away!
Thankfully,
Mazzy crossed paths with a dog walker, Daniel Da Rocha Silva, who spotted her
while out on his rounds. Daniel immediately posted Mazzy’s photo in the local
Facebook community group and took her straight to the nearest vet to have her
microchip scanned.
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| The search for missing Mazzy was cut short thanks to her microchip & up-to-date registry details |
In
the meantime, Eliza was frantically searching for Mazzy in the neighbourhood until
a neighbour spotted the Facebook post and let her know. But by then, the
microchip (linked to Eliza’s contact information) had done its job!
In a
sweet turn of events, Daniel has been Mazzy’s dog walker ever since!
June
is National Microchipping Month — a timely reminder for Australian pet
owners to not only microchip their animals, but to also check, update and
verify that the information linked to that chip via a registry is accurate and
accessible.
So,
what exactly is a microchip and how does it help bring pets home? A microchip
is a small rice-grain sized chip that is placed just below the skin in the back
of the neck of dogs and cats. It causes no discomfort, but can speak volumes
when it matters the most!
Microchipping dogs and cats is mandatory [1] in every state in Australia
except Northern Territory (although it is required within the City of Darwin).
Your pet’s microchip could be registered on one of seven microchip registries
currently active in Australia – five private and two state government-run.
- PetCloud (not currently recognised under Australian microchip registry legislation)
- NSW Pet Registry (run by New South Wales Government)
- Dogs
and Cats Online (DACO) (run by South Australian Government)
Pet
owners can choose to register their pet with more than one registry for added
peace of mind. However, this applies in all states except Victoria where
legislation states that a microchip can only be
registered with one registry.
To
tell which register your pet is on, you can use Pet
Address,
the online search tool that allows vets, shelters/pounds and pet owners to look
up microchip numbers across the established private registries – excluding the
two government-run registries.
Newly
launched microchip registry
PetCloud
Microchip Registry is newly launched by Australian pet management platform
PetCloud, combining microchip registration with the company’s growing network
of pet professionals, breeders, veterinarians and councils.
"Lost
pets are a national issue — and outdated contact details in microchip
registries make reunions harder. Many pet owners don't even know which registry
their pet is on. We're giving Australians a convenient, simpler way to manage
their pet's microchip info and get found faster when every second counts."
While the platform aims to simplify the microchip management process and empower pet owners, there are some important limitations to be aware of during this early stage.
PetCloud Microchip Registry is not listed in the current
Australian legislation as one of the compliant registries under the relevant
state and territory laws. This means PetCloud Microchip Registry is not
integrated with Pet Address – so if your pet’s microchip is registered exclusively
with the company, it will not appear in a Pet Address search.
Watch
out for microchipping scams!
More urgently, pet owners are being warned about scams targeting microchip registrations!
Watch out for an international pet scam
run by a group called Petchip, which preys on pet owners by sending
fraudulent emails asking for payment for “microchip registration expiration”.
The emails include a threat that pets will be listed as “unregistered” if a fee
is not paid.
Concerns around microchip security don’t stop at scams.
Earlier this year, the sudden collapse of the once-operational West Australian-based microchip registry, HomeSafeID, left thousands of pets at risk of becoming untraceable.
Based in Canberra, Dr Orr also operates an after-hours urgent care clinic and provides consulting and lecturing services to the veterinary profession.
Also
contributing is Fra Atyeo, Operations Manager at Bendigo Animal Relief Centre (BARC) in Victoria, who brings frontline perspective from one
of the busiest council-funded pounds in the state, also operating as a shelter,
providing animal adoptions both locally and interstate.
Their
message is clear: microchipping is just the first step. What you do next could be
the reason your lost pet makes it home!
Importance
of microchipping
“If your pet goes missing, their microchip is the crucial link in bringing them home,” said Dr Bronwyn.
“Vets and shelters can scan the chip, search the state or national registries, and quickly access the owner’s contact information. Pets with microchips are far more likely to be reunited with their families than those without.”
With reuniting missing pets with their families a priority, Fra sees the results of scanning microchips first-hand every day at BARC, the council-funded pound service for the City of Greater Bendigo that provides shelter, food and medical treatment to animals who have become lost, seized or surrendered each year.
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“Rangers
in Bendigo scan dogs they collect before bringing them to BARC, and if the
pet’s microchip details are up-to-date, there is a good chance these pets can
be returned to owners by the rangers right away!” she explained.
“In
the past five months, Council Rangers have returned over 50 dogs directly to
their homes. If the Ranger is unable to get the owner on the phone right away,
they bring the dog to BARC, and we follow up with more phone calls and emails.”
It’s
also not uncommon for someone to walk into BARC with a dog they’ve just found
wandering in their street.
“We
scan the pet and call the owner within minutes of the pets’ arrival. Sometimes
the owner comes straight in to collect them, and the dog never even makes it to
a kennel. They hang out at reception with the staff waiting for their lift back
home!” said Fra.
At the time of interview, BARC had four stray dogs in care without microchips. A further three stray dogs had microchips which link back to the breeder or a previous owner who no longer owns the dog.
All
dogs with up-to-date microchips were already reunited with their owners. “None
of them spent last night in the shelter. They were all at home with their
families, where pets belong,” said Fra.
These
cases are far from isolated — in fact, BARC’s data paints a clear and alarming
picture. Fra reviewed a sample of the last 250 stray animals that came into
their care and found that 64 (25%) had no microchip at all. Of the 186 animals
that were microchipped, a staggering 76 – more than 40% - had outdated
information that did not lead to their owner!
“Only 110 (44%) of the 250 stray animals had microchips with current information linked to them,” said Fra.
“Keeping pets microchip details up to date is just as important as the ‘chip itself!”
The
B.I.G. problem with outdated microchips
One
recent arrival at BARC highlights the risk of outdated microchip details — a
big, friendly boy nicknamed ‘The B.I.G.’, described as a loveable goofball who
knows some cool tricks!
“His
owners probably assumed he was microchipped to them, and someone would call
them if their pet was ever found. We find this happens a lot, and many people
don’t actively look for their pet when they go missing. This is an example of
how microchips only work if they are up to date!”
Unfortunately,
The B.I.G.'s story is far from uncommon. More than half of the microchipped
pets that come into BARC’s care have outdated information, making it difficult
— and sometimes impossible — to track down the owner.
“Most people are very surprised when we finally track them down and tell them that their microchip details are out of date,” said Fra.
“The responsibility is on the owner of a pet to update the microchip, not the breeder, the person you purchased the animal from or your vet.”
Fra
advised all dog and cat owners to record their pet’s microchip number and the
registry it is listed in a safe place, and get into a routine of checking your
details and alternative contact’s details at least once a year.
“Check your smoke alarm, check your pet’s microchip! If you don’t know your pet’s microchip number or registry, ask your vet or local shelter for help,” she said.
But
keeping details up to date is only part of the challenge. For many people,
getting their pet microchipped in the first place can be more difficult than
expected. Fra explained that cost remains the biggest barrier to microchipping,
followed closely by access and transport.
“Some vets will require an owner to obtain a Register Source Number under Victorian legislation, which has additional costs to getting a microchip,” she said.
“Many people also have pets who don’t travel well and may arrive at a vet clinic quite agitated. I think we can all appreciate how nervous our pets can get at veterinary clinics. Being able to take your dog to the local dog park for his microchip is much more convenient.”
Making
microchipping easier and free
To tackle these barriers, BARC launched a free microchipping program in 2021.
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| Bendigo Animal Relief Centre Microchip authorised implanter Ben Radford |
“We also run
microchipping events at other locations, such as dog parks, livestock sale
yards (to reach the working farm dogs) and community houses in rural areas so
that we can help people who may not have the ability to transport their pet to
our shelter.”
BARC
has provided more than 1,000 free microchips to pets in the local community!
While grassroots efforts like BARC’s are helping remove practical barriers, and organisations like CAR and AAR send reminders to update details, confusion around microchip registration persists.
Dr Bronwyn said many people mistakenly
believe council registration and microchip registration are the
same thing, and that their details are automatically updated.
Daniel Wyld, Managing Director at Global
Micro Animal Registry, agrees that education is a major gap in the current
system.
“One of the biggest challenges in pet
identification is lack of awareness and education,” he explained. “The
microchip must be registered with a recognised registry and the owner’s contact
details must be kept up to date. That doesn’t always happen, and when it
doesn’t, it increases the risk of a pet not being returned.
“There are also multiple registries
across different states, with slightly different processes. This can cause
confusion, not just for pet owners, but also for vets, breeders, councils and
rescue groups. When people aren’t sure what to do, it’s easy to put it in the
“too hard basket”, which puts pets at risk.”
Despite the challenges, Daniel sees real
potential for improvement through national coordination.
“The biggest opportunity, I believe, is
to create a single national educational resource – a clear source of truth for
everyone, no matter where they are,” he said. “This would also help with things
like puppy farming and online scams involving animals. Most registries,
including national ones like ours, already contact their users to confirm or
update details, but a more coordinated national effort would improve things
further.”
Daniel’s call for a unified national
education effort echoes broader concerns about inconsistency within the system
– concerns also shared by veterinary professionals and leaders involved in
companion animal policy.
Microchipping lacks national oversight
Despite microchipping being compulsory for cats and dogs, “animal microchip registries are not governed by a national set of laws or guidelines, and instead each state has to try and grapple with the private registries themselves. It's why NSW and South Australia have created their own registries,” Dr Bronwyn explained.
“We need avenues at the national level
to discuss companion animal issues, and currently outside of the Animal Health Committee or Australian Animal Welfare Strategy (AAWS), there aren't any structures
that facilitate this. The federation strikes again!”
To
better understand the likelihood of reform, I contacted the Animal Health
Committee (AHC), which operates within the Australian Government Department of
Agriculture, Fisheries and Forestry (DAFF). In response to a request for
comment on whether national oversight or reform of microchip registry systems
is being considered, a spokesperson for DAFF said:
“The
principal objective of the Animal Health Committee (AHC) is to maintain and
improve animal health outcomes, manage animal biosecurity risks and facilitate
trade through national leadership, strategic direction and collaboration with
stakeholders. AHC is not considering national oversight or reform of microchip
registry systems, as it falls outside the scope of AHC responsibilities. The
management of pet microchip registry systems within a state or territory,
including any potential reforms, falls within the remit of the respective state
or territory government.”
To Dr Bronwyn, an ideal system for pet
microchip management in Australia would be a national set of guidelines, agreed
upon by all states and territories, giving states a common framework to follow.
“Outside of a national microchip registry like they have in New Zealand, the next best thing would be at least a backup being available to governments and agreed operating guidelines,” she said.
“There would be real benefits to a national, government-owned microchip registry, however given the lack of companion animal leadership at a national level in Australia, the reality is, this is a far off dream.”
Dr Bronwyn anticipates that more states
will follow NSW and South Australia’s lead by launching their own registries – a
move that, while practical, could create further complications.
“This has unintended consequences for
pet owners, however, given that some states don't readily allow vets and shelters
to access their registry if they are interstate (e.g. ACT vets or QLD vets
accessing NSW registry),” she said.
Fra also wishes for a more unified
system, but added that stronger government oversight alone isn’t enough to
prevent registry failures like HomeSafeID.
“If a private company is in the process
of collapse and chooses to keep it private and not warn their customers, I’m
not sure increased government oversight would make any difference. However, I
do believe there should be a better system in place which would minimise the
fallout,” she said.
Fra’s
vision aligns with Dr Bronwyn’s: a single, government-managed database that
consolidates all microchip records into one central, accessible and secure platform.
Currently, vets, shelters and pounds require accounts with all the different
registries in order to manage microchips. Pet owners may also require different
accounts for different pets.
“They
may have a cat microchipped with AAR, a dog microchipped with CAR and a retired
Greyhound microchipped with Greyhound Racing Victoria. If this owner needs to
update their details, that’s three different companies they need to contact,
follow three different processes, and potentially pay three different sets of
fees,” said Fra.
“If the government managed everything from a central database, it would streamline the process for vets, shelters, pounds and breeders as well as for owners of the pets.”
“An easy process will mean less mistakes and errors, and greater
compliance, resulting in more up-to-date microchips! In addition, a government
database would be safer than a private one from collapse or closure.”
Key
message to pet owners during National Microchipping Month
Dr Bronwyn’s key message to pet owners
this National Microchip Month is to check your pet's microchip details are up
to date.
“If you ever change your phone number,
you MUST update your pet's microchip details, as that is the primary way
shelters and vets will reunite you with your pet!” she added.
Also,
next time you visit the vet, ask them to scan your pet’s microchip and confirm
that the number matches what’s listed on the registry, Daniel suggested.
Reinforcing
the broader message behind National Microchipping Month, Dr Bronwyn reminded
pet owners that microchipping is not only a legal requirement but also “the
smart thing to do.”
“You
can now link your pet's history with their microchip through companies like
Vedi, and there are thermal microchips which allow your pet's temperature to be
taken with just a scan. These advancements are unlocking the potential of your
pet's microchip,” she said.
But while technology is advancing, the
heartache of a missing pet hasn’t changed.
“Losing a pet is a gut wrenching feeling and never having them come home is even worse,” said Fra.
“Don’t take the risk.
Get your pet a microchip and check your details regularly. It’s a very small
price to pay to have your pet reunited with you.”
And if you think your pet will never get
lost, think again, she cautioned.
“I
would say that EVERYONE who has lost a pet without a microchip has thought this,
and they were all mistaken!” said Fra. “Right now, in Bendigo, nearly 17 owners
a month lose a pet they thought they would never lose. If 17 people in our
community were winning the lotto every month, I would be liking those odds and buying
quite a few tickets!”
Who are the government-compliant microchip registries in each state?
National1. Central Animal Records (CAR) – www.car.com.au
2. Australasian Animal Registry (AAR) – www.aar.org.au
3. Global Micro Animal Registry – www.globalmicro.com.au
4. Petsafe - www.petsafe.com.au
New South Wales
NSW Pet Registry - State government-run and mandatory.
Owners can optionally register with a national registry for backup.
Victoria [2]
No state-run registry. Pet owners must register with only ONE of the national registries.
Greyhound Racing Victoria (racing Greyhounds only)
Queensland [3]
No state-run registry. Pet owners must register with a national registry.
South Australia [4]
Dogs and Cats Online (DACO) - State government-run and mandatory.
Owners can optionally register with a national registry for backup.
Western Australia [5]
No state-run registry. Pet owners must register with a national registry.
Tasmania [6]
No state-run registry. Pet owners must register with a national registry.
Tasracing Integrity Unit (racing Greyhounds only)
Australian Capital Territory [7]
No state-run registry. Pet owners must register with a national registry.
Northern Territory [8]
To tell which register your pet is on, simply hop on to Pet Address and enter in your pet’s microchip number. Pet Address is a search engine that allows you to search for the microchip number of a pet in various animal databases. It’s not a registry.
Pet
Address only searches the databases of private microchip registries — it does not
include the government-run registries in New South Wales and South Australia.
So, if your pet’s microchip doesn’t show up on Pet Address, it may still be
listed with a state-based registry.
What happened to HomeSafeID?
In
early 2025, HomeSafeID — a private microchip
registry once used by thousands of pet owners across Australia — ceased
operations without formal public notice. While its online search function
remained temporarily active, the company stopped processing updates or new
registrations.
This
meant that pet owners could no longer update their contact information, new
microchips couldn’t be registered with HomeSafeID, and existing microchips
became increasingly at risk of being untraceable if the website went offline.
To
avoid losing access to important microchip data, the Victorian government
secured HomeSafeID’s database and eventually transferred management to one of
Australia’s largest national microchip registries, Central Animal Records (CAR).
CAR
is now responsible for managing all new microchip registrations previously
intended for HomeSafeID, updates to existing records and the ongoing ability to
search and access owner details.
If
your pet was originally registered with HomeSafeID, you’ll need to manually
transfer their registration to ensure they remain traceable.
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