Pet IDs: A Guide to the Benefits of Microchips and Tattoos
- May 1
- 4 min read
May is National Chip Your Pet Month which highlights the importance of microchipping pets, helping ensure they can be reunited with their owners if they go missing. Following along, we’d like to take a closer look at two of the most reliable forms of pet identification: microchipping and tattooing!
By comparing the advantages and disadvantages of each, you can make an informed choice about the best way to keep your pet safe!
Why Pet Identification Matters ♡
Pets can slip out of the house, get lost during walks, or flee during emergencies. Without proper identification, finding a lost pet becomes a challenge. Collars and tags are helpful but can fall off or be removed. Permanent ID methods like microchips and tattoos provide a reliable way to identify your pet no matter what happens!
Lost pets with permanent IDs have a much higher chance of being returned home. Animal shelters and veterinary clinics routinely scan for microchips or check tattoos to add to your pets file, making it easier to connect pets with their owners quickly.
💉 What Is Microchipping?💉
Microchipping involves inserting a tiny chip, about the size of a grain of rice, under your pet’s skin, usually between the shoulder blades. This chip contains a unique identification number linked to your contact information in a secure database.
Benefits of Microchipping
Permanent and reliable: Unlike collars, microchips cannot be removed or lost.
Quick identification: Shelters and vets can scan the chip in seconds.
Supports lost pet recovery: Studies show microchipped pets are returned to owners 20-30% more often than pets without microchips.
What to Know About Microchipping
The chip does not track your pet’s location like an AirTag; it only provides ID info.
Remember to keep your contact information updated in the microchip registry!
🪡 What Is Tattooing? 🪡
Tattooing is another form of permanent identification where a small, usually black, tattoo is applied inside the ear. This method has been used for decades, especially for cats!
Benefits of Tattooing
Permanent mark: Tattoos are visible and cannot be lost like tags.
No special equipment needed to read: Anyone can see the tattoo without a scanner.
Useful for cats: Many cat owners prefer tattoos because cats often lose collars.
Can be combined with microchips: Some owners use both for extra security.
Things to Consider About Tattooing
Tattoos can fade over time, especially if exposed to sunlight or in floppy eared dogs.
The tattoo number must be registered with a pet recovery service.
The process requires the animal to be sedated.
Microchipping V.S. Tattooing
MICROCHIP | TATTOO |
Permanent | Permanent, but can fade over time |
Not visible - requires a scanner | Visible to anyone |
Stores your info and can be tracked down in just a few minutes | Unique to each clinic, and may require some calling around to track down |
Can be done on an awake pet, though we prefer to do them during spays/neuters as it's a larger gauge needle | Cannot be done while the pet is awake; must be done while sedated |
Each animal and situation is unique, but using both a chip and a tattoo together can provide the best protection for your pet!
The visibility of a tattoo immediately flags to passerby that this animal has a home, motivating people to bring them to vets or rescues where their chip can be scanned. Without a visible marker like a tattoo, people are less likely to approach a strange animal and may assume they're strays.
🐾 How to Get Your Pet Microchipped or Tattooed 🐾
We like to suggest identification options when your pet is being spayed/neutered!
Being sedated makes the process of microchipping much easier (it's a larger gauge needle to deposit the chip). If your pet is being sedated for any future procedures (a dental, lump removals, etc.) this is also an ideal time! Sedation isn't required for a microchip, but it's certainly a good opportunity to consider it.
A tattoo, however, cannot be done without sedation. Again, when an animal is being fixed is a great time to consider a tattoo! It can always be done during future sedated procedures, but the sooner the better...just in case ♡
When you get your pet microchipped or tattooed:
Make sure your contact details are registered and kept up to date.
Ask for a certificate or documentation of the ID.
Inform family members or pet sitters about the ID method used.
♡ Real-Life Examples of Pet ID Success ♡
Gunner escaped during a thunderstorm. Thanks to his microchip, a shelter scanned him and contacted his owner within 24 hours.
A cat named Jade was found wandering miles from home. The tattoo inside her ear let a passerby know she had a home so they brought her into the vet where her microchip was scanned, reuniting her with her people.
A family reunited with their lost dog, Miley, after weeks wandering a campground because the microchip registry had their current phone number.
These stories highlight how permanent pet IDs save time, money, and emotional distress.
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