Frequently asked questions

Everything about microchipping, the Identipet system, the app, and what to do if your pet goes missing.

The Identipet System & Database

  • It's a unique and comprehensive digital database system designed to manage and identify your pet family, connected to vets and welfares across the country.

  • Each microchip is packaged with a QR code. Scanning it with your mobile device at the time of microchipping takes you through a registration process where you fill in your contact details. Your pet is now officially part of the family. If your details change, it's quick and easy to update them on the app.

  • Identipet loads the information onto the Identipet National Animal Database, the largest animal database in Africa. Vets, SPCAs and Animal Welfare Societies or anyone with a scanner can access this information through the Identipet Animal Management System.

  • Identipet annually reunites lost or stolen animals with their owners. According to data provided by the SPCA, the average time to reunite a microchipped lost pet with its owner is two hours, compared with several days, or sometimes never, for an unidentified animal.

  • Hundreds of users of the Identipet system, with over 2,000 scanners countrywide. Most vets in large centres (and many in smaller ones) are equipped to scan lost, abandoned, or stolen animals, as are all branches of the SPCA and other Animal Welfare Organisations.

  • Yes, please update your pet's profile through the app to reflect this.

  • Yes. Identipet is built on a well-built, secure system. Your contact details are stored safely on the Identipet database and are only revealed to authorised users, such as vets and welfare organisations, when your pet's microchip is scanned. This same protection is built into the QR Code Tag: when a finder scans your pet's tag, they're able to get in touch with you, but they never see your personal contact details directly.

  • Yes, all you need to register is your own contact details, along with your pet's name and microchip number.

Using the App

  • No, the old app has been phased out. Please use the new web-app and register your profile there.

  • We still need to import your data from the old system. If it's your first time on app.identipet.com, create an account using the same e-mail and phone number you used previously. Once signed up, you can import all your pets with one click.

  • If you haven't imported your pets from the previous app yet, click the Import button on your home page. You'll need to upload new photos of your pets. You may run into trouble if you're using a new phone number, or if you had multiple profiles on the old Animal Management System. Reach out to us if you need assistance.

  • Yes. It's still the same profile, with all your contact details and your pet's microchip numbers safely stored. It's simply now connected to the new web-app.

  • Go to My Family to edit your address. To edit your phone number or e-mail address, go to the blue Profile icon in the top right and select Account to update.

  • Open the app and tap Add Pet on the home screen. Enter the microchip number manually, or scan the QR code on the packaging to autofill it, then complete the pet's profile details. You can also add a pet by scanning a QR Code Tag.

  • In the app, select the pet you want to transfer and tap Transfer Pet. The new owner should open their app, go to My Family, and select Transfer Pet QR Code. If they're not with you, they can send you the code to scan.

  • You can change ownership on the app by having the breeder or welfare organisation send you the Transfer Pet QR code, scanning it automatically transfers the pet to your profile. If you need further assistance, send a support query to info@identipet.com.

  • Open the Identipet app, go to your pet's profile, select the edit option, and update the details. If you can't edit certain fields, contact our support team for assistance.

  • If you made a mistake on the chip number, please contact our support team at info@identipet.com or 011 957 3455. Provide the correct chip number along with your pet's details, and we'll assist you in updating it.

  • When you send an SOS, the Pet Rescue Network as well as your emergency contacts will be sent an alert. If a finder scans your pet’s QR Code Tag, you emergency contact list will be alerted via SMS and e-mail.

  • In the app, under My Pets, click the edit icon of the pet and select Mark Deceased, you can manually enter the date of passing. If you're on our Legacy Protect subscription, please notify Legacy to arrange the cremation.

Microchipping Basics

  • Microchips are small devices implanted under your pet's skin, containing a unique identification number that can be linked to your contact information. Any animal can be microchipped.

  • Consult with a local vet or animal welfare organisation. They can provide information about the procedure, costs and assist you in getting your pet microchipped.

  • An Identipet microchip is a high-quality electronic RFID component, sealed into a biocompatible glass tube. Designed in Switzerland and manufactured to the most rigorous standards, the Identipet chip is 8mm long, 2mm wide, and ISO compliant.

  • No - microchips are not tracking devices. They're radio-frequency identification (RFID) implants that provide permanent ID for your pet. Because they use RFID technology, microchips don't require a power source like GPS. When a scanner is passed over the pet, the chip draws enough power from the scanner to transmit its ID number. There is no such thing as a tracking microchip, since tracking requires a battery, which implantable chips can't accommodate.

  • Designed to last a lifetime, Identipet microchips are anti-migration, impact- and pressure-resistant. Since there's no battery and no moving parts, there's nothing to keep charged, wear out, or replace.

  • You can safely microchip a puppy or kitten when they are as young as 6-8 weeks old. Vets often do this during the same visit as the first vaccination to reduce stress and avoid extra trips.

  • Each microchip is individually packaged in a sterile syringe. The veterinarian injects it at the inoculation site which is between the shoulder blades for dogs and cats.

  • No more than any inoculation. Your pet won't feel it under their skin once it's in place.

  • Each microchip has an unalterable unique number coded into it, read by means of a scanner. The scanner emits an electromagnetic wave that instantaneously "wakes up" the chip, which responds with its number — only the microchip number appears on the scanner's screen, not the owner or pet's details. Numbers are drawn from a series of 34 billion, and are never duplicated, altered, or erased. The vet or welfare organisation then searches for that number on the Identipet database, where the owner's contact details are stored.

  • Any animal, from fingerling fish to birds, rhinos and elephants.

  • Please ask your local vet or welfare organisation how much it costs to chip your pet.

  • No, there's no annual fee for any pet with an Identipet microchip, regardless of the year it was inserted. The only payment is to the vet or welfare organisation that carries out the insertion. Identipet does offer an optional subscription service that unlocks additional app features and benefits but access to the app and manaing your cotact details is free.

Lost Pets & Emergency Support

  • First, make sure your contact details are up to date so you can be easily reached if someone finds your pet. If you're subscribed to React, you can send an SOS alert to our Pet Rescue Network within a 5km radius of where your pet was last seen, increasing the chances of a quick reunion. It also helps to let vets in your area know and to share the SOS poster to your WhatsApp groups.
    If your pet is wearing a QR Code Tag keep an eye on your Message and E-mail alerts.

  • Unfortunately not. You'll need to subscribe for R49 per month to access the SOS alert function, this also includes Vet Online access once a month.

  • If you're worried about your pet, our expert VetOnline vets are available to assist 24/7. For R49 p/m, Identipet React gives you access via text chat, video call, or audio message once a month. On the Legacy Protect subscription (R99 p/m), you get unlimited access to a professional vet.