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YOUR LAB'S MICROCHIP

A microchip is a permanent pet ID that, once implanted, allows a dog to be identifiable if he/she becomes lost or separated from you. It is implanted in a veterinarian’s office in a simple procedure that involves injecting the microchip just below the skin between the shoulder blades. The chip is then registered with the dog owner’s personal information. It can be read by passing a microchip scanner over the dog. The scanner emits a low radio frequency that provides the power necessary to transmit the microchip’s unique dog ID code and positively identify the pet. The microchip has no internal energy source, so it never has to be replaced.

Registering a Microchip Implanted by Lab Rescue

Prior to coming to the rescue, each of our Labs are scanned for a microchip. If a chip is not present, we microchip the Lab as part of his/her veterinary intake care and associate it with Lab Rescue’s contact information. The microchip is through Home Again and it comes with a free, lifetime registration.

 

Within 2 weeks of adopting your Lab, you must update the microchip with your contact information. You can do this either online or by phone:

 

Online at the Home Again Website

By calling: 1-888-HomeAgain [1-888-466-3242]

 

Please Note: If you call and the agent tells you there is a registration fee, ask them to check the chip number as registration should be prepaid.

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After registration, you will be able to complete your pet’s profile, update your contact information, upload a photo, enter medical information, and add an alternative contact, all online. This information links your pet to you so that he/she can be returned home safely.

 

In addition to being registered in the Home Again database, your dog has 1 year of Home Again membership benefits, which can be renewed at an additional cost on an annual basis. Membership includes 24/7 lost-pet specialists, rapid lost-pet alerts, personalized lost-pet posters, 24/7 emergency medical hotline, and travel assistance for found pets.

Registering a Microchip Not Implanted by Lab Rescue

If your dog already had a microchip when it came into Lab Rescue, we will have your dog’s microchip number in our database and will share it with you upon adoption. It is your responsibility to register it with the manufacturer and cover the costs of the registration process (typically around $20).

Microchips for Puppies Adopted through Lab Rescue

If you adopt a puppy through Lab Rescue, the chip will normally be implanted when the puppy is spayed or neutered. If the puppy is spayed or neutered at one of our participating vets, it will be done for free.

 

If you have the puppy spayed/neutered at your vet, our Spay-Neuter Coordinator will send a microchip to your vet for the vet to implant. 

Note: If there is an additional charge to implant the chip, it is your responsibility to pay.

Don’t Know Who Makes Your Dog's Microchip?

The American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) developed the Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool to simplify and expedite the identification of lost pets and to make it easier to contact the correct registry.

 

The tool is available online at: http://www.petmicrochiplookup.org/

 

When a microchip ID number is entered into the tool, a list of pet-recovery companies with which the microchip was registered appears in chronological order, with the most recently updated entry listed first, along with contact information for the registries.

Have more questions about how to update your Lab's microchip?

Contact us at microchip@lab-rescue.org

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