Microchipping enables identification and return of lost companion animals, significantly reducing welfare impacts of separation. Mandatory microchipping has improved reunification rates in countries that have adopted it.
Lost companion animals experience acute stress, disorientation, and exposure to environmental hazards. Many die on roads or from starvation before being reunited with owners. Microchipping with accurate registered contact details is the single most effective tool for reducing the welfare burden of companion animal loss. Mandatory microchipping has demonstrably improved outcomes where it has been implemented, but its effectiveness depends on database accuracy which requires owners to update contact information when they move or change numbers. Consolidated database systems would further improve the reunification rates that microchipping enables.