Permanent Pet Identification
A lost pet can slip through an open door, escape from a yard, or become separated from their family during an emergency. Collars and identification tags are important, but they can break, become unreadable, or fall off.
Desert Forest Animal Hospital provides pet microchipping in Cave Creek for dogs and cats. A microchip gives your pet a permanent form of identification that can help a veterinary hospital, animal shelter, or animal control agency reconnect you if your pet is ever found without a collar.
Call (480) 488-2010 or request an appointment to have your pet microchipped.
A pet microchip is a small radio-frequency identification device approximately the size of a grain of rice. It contains a unique identification number and does not require a battery or internal power source.
When a veterinary hospital or animal shelter scans the microchip, the scanner displays its identification number. That number can be used to locate the registry containing the pet owner’s contact information.
A microchip does not contain a GPS and cannot track your pet’s location in real time. Its purpose is to provide permanent identification when a lost pet is found and scanned.
Even careful pet owners can experience an unexpected escape or separation. A microchip provides a permanent backup when a collar or identification tag is missing.
Pet microchipping can:
A microchip should complement—not replace—a collar and visible identification tag. A tag allows someone who finds your pet to contact you immediately, while a microchip provides a permanent backup.
Microchipping is a brief outpatient procedure that can usually be completed during a regular veterinary appointment.
The microchip is placed beneath the skin, generally between the shoulder blades, using a sterile applicator. The procedure takes only a few moments and is similar to receiving a vaccination, although the microchip needle is slightly larger.
Sedation or anesthesia is not typically required. However, some families choose to have a microchip placed while their pet is already under anesthesia for a spay, neuter, dental procedure, or another scheduled surgery.
Our veterinary team uses gentle handling techniques and takes your pet’s comfort into consideration throughout the appointment.
Having a microchip implanted is only the first step. The microchip number must be registered with a participating pet-recovery registry and connected to your current contact information.
Without accurate registration information, a shelter or veterinary hospital may be able to detect the microchip but may have difficulty reaching you.
After your pet’s microchip is placed:
Your pet’s microchip information is maintained by the microchip registry, not in one universal national database.
Pets adopted from shelters, rescues, breeders, or previous families may already have a microchip. Our team can scan your pet during an appointment to check for an existing chip and provide the identification number.
If you do not know which company maintains the registration, the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool can help identify the registry connected with the microchip number.
A microchip may still be registered to a shelter, breeder, rescue organization, or previous owner. Make sure ownership and contact details have been transferred and updated after adopting a pet.
A microchip is most effective when its registration information is accurate.
Review your pet’s microchip record at least once a year and whenever you:
Consider asking your veterinarian to scan the microchip during routine wellness exams to confirm that it can still be detected and that you have the correct identification number.
When a lost dog or cat is brought to a veterinary hospital, shelter, or animal control agency, the staff may scan the pet for a microchip.
If a chip is detected, the scanner displays its identification number. Staff can use that number to determine which registry maintains the record and contact the registry for the owner information associated with the chip.
The registry or animal-care organization can then attempt to contact you using the telephone number, email address, or alternate contact listed in your pet’s account.
This process depends on your pet’s microchip being properly registered and your contact information remaining current.
No. A standard pet microchip is not a GPS tracking device.
It does not:
A microchip provides an identification number that becomes useful when your pet is found and scanned.
Dogs and cats can be microchipped at many stages of life. Common opportunities include:
Your veterinarian can help determine the most appropriate time based on your pet’s age, size, health, and upcoming care.
Desert Forest Animal Hospital provides personalized veterinary care for dogs and cats in Cave Creek, Carefree, Tatum Ranch, Desert Hills, and nearby North Valley communities.
Families choose our hospital for:
Dr. Quinn Bauer is a Fear Free Certified veterinarian and uses low-stress techniques designed to reduce fear, anxiety, and stress during veterinary visits.
The procedure is brief and generally causes only momentary discomfort similar to an injection. The needle is slightly larger than a vaccination needle because it must carry the microchip beneath the skin.
Microchipping does not usually require anesthesia or sedation. It can be performed during a regular appointment. It may also be completed while a pet is already anesthetized for another scheduled procedure.
No. A microchip should be used along with a collar and visible identification tag. A tag allows someone to contact you immediately, while the microchip provides permanent backup identification.
The chip contains a unique identification number—not your full contact information. Your contact details are maintained by the microchip registry connected to that number.
No. A standard microchip cannot show your pet’s location or track their movements. It must be scanned at close range by a compatible microchip scanner.
Contact your pet’s microchip registry and update the information immediately. Updating your records with your veterinarian does not automatically update the separate microchip registry.
You will need the microchip identification number. A veterinary hospital can scan your pet if you do not have it. The number can then be entered into the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool to identify possible registries.
Yes. Your veterinarian can scan the chip during a routine wellness visit to confirm that it can be detected. You should also verify the registry and contact information periodically.
Give your dog or cat the added protection of permanent identification. Desert Forest Animal Hospital offers pet microchipping and microchip scanning for families in Cave Creek and surrounding North Valley communities.
Call (480) 488-2010 or request an appointment online.
Desert Forest Animal Hospital
6554 E Cave Creek Road
Cave Creek, AZ 85331
Medically reviewed by Bryan Hayter, DVM
Last reviewed: July 2026
