National Check The Chip Day (15 August) – Ensuring Pet Safety Across New Zealand

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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