Canadian pet microchip registries, explained
A chip is only as good as the info attached to it. Here are the main registries used in Canada, how to check yours, and what to do if you don't know which one your pet is on.
How a microchip actually works
A microchip is a grain-sized RFID tag that stores a unique number. It has no GPS, no battery, and no way to broadcast your location. When a vet or shelter scans a found pet, the scanner reads the number. The staff then look up which registry the number belongs to and call that registry to get your contact info.
The two failure modes that keep chipped pets from finding their way home are: (1) the contact info on the registry is wrong or out of date, and (2) the chip is registered to a provider whose database isn't routinely checked by the scanning shelter.
The main registries used in Canada
These are the most common providers Canadian vets and shelters check. Your chip may be registered on one or more of them.
24PetWatch
The most common registry in Canadian shelters. Provided free with many shelter adoptions. Lookup via 24petwatch.com → "Find My Pet".
Pet Lynx (CAAR)
The Canadian Animal Identification Registry. Runs a national database that aggregates chip numbers across multiple providers.
HomeAgain
US-based but widely used in Canada. Annual membership includes live rescue network and lost-pet alerts.
AVID Canada
AVID chips are common in rescue and shelter adoptions across Canada. Lookup through AVID’s PETtrac service.
EIDAP
Canadian-headquartered, used by many private vets. Database is accessible to vets and shelters nationally.
How to find out which registry your pet is on
- Check your pet's paperwork. Your adoption contract, vet record, or the welcome letter from whoever chipped your pet usually lists the provider. Dig through email if you can't find paper.
- Run a universal lookup. The AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup and the AVMA's lookup both tell you which registry a chip number is on (though not your personal info). Enter your chip number and they redirect you to the right provider.
- Ask your vet. A quick phone call to the clinic that installed the chip is the most reliable path. They can read the chip number and tell you the provider.
Updating the info on your chip
Once you know which registry you're on, log in to their website (or call) and confirm:
- Current phone number — the first thing the shelter will try.
- Current email address.
- Current home address.
- At least one alternate contact (a family member in case you're unreachable).
Some registries charge for updates ($10–25/year for a "lifetime" membership). Most let you update basic contact info for free. If asked to pay for basic updates, shop around — there's usually a free tier.
My pet isn't chipped — should they be?
Yes. Chips cost $40–75 at most Canadian vet clinics and take about 30 seconds to insert. Collars and tags fall off; chips don't. For indoor-outdoor cats especially, a chip is the single best predictor of whether a lost animal makes it home.
If your pet is missing now
Updating your chip info is one item on a longer checklist. See our first-24-hours guide for the full playbook, and post your pet on Lost.ca so neighbours and shelters can help you: