Pet microchipping in Chilliwack
At Promontory Animal Hospital, we microchip dogs and cats at our clinic on Thomas Road in Chilliwack. We place the chip during an ordinary visit, hand you the number to keep, and make sure it is registered to you properly — because a chip nobody can trace back to you is the one that does not bring your pet home.
What is pet microchipping?
Pet microchipping places a small chip, about the size of a grain of rice, under the skin between the shoulder blades using a needle. The chip carries a unique number. When a shelter or veterinary clinic scans a found pet, that number links back to your contact details in a registry, so your pet can come home. At our Chilliwack clinic we place the chip, give you the number in writing, and show you how to keep the registry details current.
How pet microchipping works
A microchip has no battery and no moving parts. It sits quietly under the skin and does nothing until a scanner passes over it. The scanner reads the chip number, and whoever found your pet looks that number up in the microchip registry to find you.
That last step is the one people forget, so we do not leave you to work it out at home. A chip is only as useful as the details attached to it: the registry has to carry your name, and the phone number and address on file have to be the ones you actually answer. We walk through the registration with you before you leave.
Cat microchipping, dogs, and why a collar is not enough
Collars slip off and tags wear smooth. A microchip cannot fall off, which is why it is worth having even if your dog always wears a tag. Cat microchipping matters for indoor cats too: an indoor cat that slips out an open door is often the one with no collar at all.
Many owners have the chip placed during one of the early puppy and kitten visits, or while their pet is already under anaesthesia for spay or neuter surgery. Adult pets can be microchipped at any age.
What happens when you bring your pet to us
- We place the chip with a needle, much like giving a vaccination
- It takes moments, and your pet does not need an anaesthetic for it
- We can do it at the same visit as vaccines or a checkup, so it is not a separate trip
- You leave with the chip number in writing, and we show you how to keep the registry details current
- You approve a written estimate from us before anything begins
Keep the registration up to date
Moving house, changing your phone number or rehoming a pet are the moments a chip quietly stops working, because the registry still points to the old details. Update it whenever your contact information changes — and if you are not sure the details on your pet's chip are still right, ask us at your next visit and we will help you check.
If you plan to travel abroad with your pet, many destinations ask for a microchip as part of the paperwork, so it is worth doing before you book. Our page on pet travel health certificates explains the rest. New to the clinic? Start with our new client information.
Does microchipping hurt my pet?
We place the chip through a needle, much like giving a vaccination. Most pets react about the same as they do to a routine injection, and it is over in moments. If your pet is already having spay or neuter surgery with us, we can place the chip while they are under anaesthesia.
Can a microchip track where my pet is?
No. A microchip is not a GPS tracker. It has no power source and only shares its number when a scanner is held over it, which is why keeping your registry details current matters so much.
Does my pet still need a collar tag if it is microchipped?
A tag is still useful, because a neighbour who finds your dog can read it without a scanner. The microchip is the backup that cannot fall off. Most owners use both.
When can my puppy or kitten be microchipped?
Ask us at your puppy or kitten’s early visits. Many owners have it done then, or during spay or neuter surgery, and we will suggest the timing that suits your pet.
Related care at our clinic
- Puppy and kitten care in Chilliwack First exams, vaccines and the early decisions for a new pet.
- Spay and neuter surgery Many owners have the microchip placed at the same time.
- Pet travel health certificates Paperwork for international trips and the Canada-US border.
- Pet vaccinations Core and lifestyle vaccines selected for your pet.
Microchip your pet with us
We open late October at Unit 104 – 46193 Thomas Road, Chilliwack, and we are accepting new clients. Join the waitlist, or call us on 604-991-2745.
What you can count on
- A written estimate you approve before any procedure begins
- Open 8:00am to 8:00pm, seven days a week
- Accepting new clients, opening late October
- On Thomas Road in Chilliwack, with free parking