What Is A Microchip? If your pet’s collar breaks, or if its tag falls off the collar or becomes illegible, a microchip permanently identifies your dog to help it get back to you if it’s lost or stolen. A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is encoded with a unique ID number that will be assigned to your pet. No two microchips have the same ID number. The breeder places the microchip between your pet’s shoulder blades. Implantation is quick, easy and virtually painless — similar to a vaccine injection. A microchip is not a tracking device. It can only be “turned on” for a few seconds at a time by a hand-held microchip scanner that is passed over the area where the microchip is implanted to read its unique ID number. Veterinarians, shelters and breeders have these scanners and use them to help lost pets all the time. Veterinarians also check pets’ microchips during annual wellness exams to make sure everything is working properly and to start a conversation about whether or not your information is up-to-date on your dog’s microchip enrollment record. We encourage all pet owners to register their pet’s microchip into our national recovery database. Once enrolled, your pet’s microchip will be linked to your name, telephone number(s), emergency contacts and other vital information in our database. Our 24/7 toll-free PET Line is included with every pet microchip registered with AKC Reunite, with no additional or annual fees, to speak with a live PET Line expert. Your pet’s ID number is the only information stored in your pet’s microchip, so it is very important that you immediately go online to register your pet’s microchip with your contact information by calling 800-252-7894 or go to http://www.akcreunite.org. Registration only takes a few moments, but it makes a big difference when your pet is lost and every second counts. A microchip costs $30. 00, and registration online costs $20.00, so the total amount for keeping your pet safe is only $50.00.