A microchip is a small capsule that is around the size of a grain of rice. It carries a unique identification number and is made of inert material so it won't be rejected by your pet's body. It has no power source and has a special cap to prevent movement once it has been professionally implanted.

The implantation is a quick and painless procedure that should hurt no more than a vaccination and in the case of dogs and cats this would be done just behind their shoulder blades by a qualified microchip implanter using a special pre-packed sterile needle. Your vet or local animal welfare centre will also be able to advise you where to have more exotic pets, fish or horses microchipped as this a specialist procedure.

Although the pet microchip itself only holds a serial number, your personal information along with your pet's details is held by the pet microchip database (Petlog) free of charge. Then if anything were to happen, as long as your details were up to date, an authorised agent would be able to access these details and contact you directly