As the custodian of the largest companion animal register in the country, Companion Animals New Zealand (CANZ) is proud to celebrate National ‘Check The Chip’ Day on 15 August.

This day serves as an essential reminder to all pet owners about the importance of microchipping their beloved pets and ensuring that their microchip information is both registered and up to date.

Microchipping is a simple procedure that provides a permanent means of identification for pets. It significantly increases the chances of reuniting lost pets with their families, making it a crucial step in responsible pet ownership. With a registered microchip, pets have a much higher likelihood of finding their way back home compared to those without.

“National Check the Chip Day helps highlight the role microchips play in keeping our pets safe,” says David Lloyd, General Manager of Companion Animals NZ. “As the largest animal register in the country – the NZ Companion Animal Register – we know firsthand how important it is for pet owners to not only microchip their pets but also to ensure that their contact information is up to date. This is often forgotten when people move house or change phone numbers. This small step can make a world of difference in reuniting lost pets with their families.”

Stories like Bo’s are the heartwarming tales of how important microchipping and registration can be. Bo, an 11-year-old tabby cat, was recently reunited with his family after being missing for more than three and a half years, thanks to his microchip.

Bo vanished shortly after his family moved to rural Waikato in late 2020, despite their efforts to transition him safely to his new home. Bo’s owner, Vicki, was understandably distraught.

“We searched extensively and informed our former neighbours, eventually fearing the worst. Then, out of the blue in July, Bo was found just 600 meters from our home by a member of the public who took him to a local vet - three and a half years after he went missing. When the vet scanned his microchip, they discovered it was marked as lost on the NZ Companion Animal Register. We could hardly believe it was actually going to be him until we picked him up!”

Bo has settled back in happily, and his return brought tears of joy to his family's eyes, especially their three children.

Companion Animals NZ encourages all pet owners to take part in this important day by checking their pet’s microchip information for accuracy and spreading awareness about the benefits of microchipping. The NZ Companion Animal Register has more than 1.3 million pets across the country, and more than 77,000 animals registered so far in 2024 alone across a wide range of species including cats, dogs, rabbits, horses, rodents, birds, reptiles and more!

With many regional bylaws now requiring cats to be microchipped and registered, today is also a perfect reminder about meeting your obligations as a responsible pet owner.

For more information about microchipping and registration, visit animalregister.co.nz. Pet owners can use the 'Chip Checker' to check if their animals' microchip number is already registered, then log in via their email address to check and ensure their contact details are up to date. 

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