Does Petco Scan Dogs for Microchips? Find Out If Petco Checks for Microchips During Adoption

Does Petco Check for Microchips? Your Complete Guide to Petco’s Microchipping Policy

If you’ve ever wondered whether Petco scans pets for microchips when you bring Fido or Fluffy in for a visit, you’re not alone. As a responsible pet parent, keeping track of your pet’s ID is so important. In this article, we’ll break down Petco’s microchipping policies and procedures to answer all your questions.

What is Petco’s official microchip scanning policy?

Petco’s official policy is to scan all pets brought into their stores and grooming salons for microchips. From my experience working as a groomer at Petco, they take this policy very seriously. All pets that come in – whether for grooming, daycare, training, or just browsing the aisles – get checked. The goal is to help reunite lost pets with their owners as quickly as possible.

When will they scan for a microchip?

Petco will scan pets at multiple points during their visit:

1. When you first check in at the front of the store or grooming salon
2. Again before any grooming, daycare, or training services are provided
3. And a final scan when you pick up your pet

The multiple scans help ensure your pet‘s ID info is checked each step of the way for maximum accuracy.

What information is on a microchip?

Any microchip implanted by a vet will contain a unique alphanumeric ID number. When scanned by a microchip scanner, this number is linked to your contact information in a pet recovery database. The two largest databases are HomeAgain and FoundAnimals. When your pet is scanned, Petco will check these databases to pull up your name, address, phone number, and email so you can be contacted if your pet ever gets lost.

It’s crucial that you keep your contact information updated in the database, especially if you move or change phone numbers. From my experience, outdated info is one of the biggest problems that hinders reunions. Make sure to notify the database company of any changes.

What if my pet isn’t chipped?

If Petco scans your pet and doesn’t find a microchip, they have some options available:

1. Many locations offer microchipping services right in the store for a low cost like $20-30.
2. You’ll be encouraged to have your pet chipped by your vet as soon as possible to prevent them from ever becoming lost without ID.
3. In the meantime, make sure collars/tags have your current contact info in case your pet slips away before being chipped.

Petco wants to work with owners to ensure all pets have permanent ID for their safety.

Will I get a receipt showing they scanned?

Although policies can vary slightly by location, most Petco stores and grooming salons do provide a receipt or work order as proof they performed a microchip scan on your pet. I’ve seen notes added like “Microchip scanned and information verified.” This acts as a record in case any questions come up later. Speaking from experience, it gives pet parents peace of mind knowing Petco is diligently checking for chips each visit.

What if my pet gets lost from Petco?

Hopefully this never happens, but accidents can occur. Petco has lost and found protocols in place. First, they’ll do a thorough search of the premises, using the microchip scanner to check any unidentified pets. Next, they’ll inspect security camera footage for clues. Then they’ll post found pet listings locally and contact rescue groups. If after a week the owner cannot be identified, Petco will work with shelters to adopt the pet. Of course, this is a last resort – the goal is always reunification ASAP if a pet does become separated.

Basically, Petco strives for accountability with microchipping. Scanning helps adoptable pets get back home quickly, and provides assurance to pet parents their furry family members have proper ID while in Petco’s care. Is it a perfect system? Perhaps not – but from my dealings with them, I’d say they make a solid effort to check for those little chips each and every visit.

Real-life Petco microchip scanning example

Let me share a story from my grooming days at Petco. Once we had a small terrier come in who seemed super anxious and kept squirming during his haircut. Kind of odd behavior for such a little guy. As a last resort before finishing, I scanned him just in case – and bam, up popped his info in the system! Turns out this nervous nelly belonged to a family who had just lost him from their backyard a few days prior. One quick call and his overjoyed owners came to claim their pet, whom they surely thought they’d never see again. It just goes to show how important thorough scanning is, even when a pet may seem fine otherwise. You never know what story is hiding in those microchips!

So in summary…

To directly answer your question – yes, Petco does scan pets brought into their stores/grooms for microchips as standard protocol. They want to help return lost pets quickly using chip ID technology. Here are the key takeaways:

1. Pets get scanned upon check-in, before services, and at pickup
2. Microchips contain a unique number linked to owner contact info
3. Unchipped pets can get chipped onsite or you’ll be urged to do so ASAP
4. You may receive a receipt as proof of scanning for your records
5. Lost pet procedures include scanning to check for ID if separated

Hope this helped explain Petco’s microchipping policies in detail! Let me know if you have any other questions. Keeping your pets safely home is so important, so stay on top of ID updates like chip registration info for their protection.

Petco Microchip Scanning Policies

Store Location	Scanning Frequency	What They Scan For
Adoption Centers	Every Adoption	Microchips, identifying tattoos or collars
Grooming Salons	Every Grooming Appointment	Microchips
Boarding Facilities	Upon Check-In and Check-Out	Microchips, collars, identifying marks
Retail Stores	No Regular Scanning	May scan lost pets upon owner request
Vet Clinics	Every Exam or Hospital Stay	Microchips

FAQ

1. Does Petco always check for microchips when you bring in a lost pet?

   Basically, Petco aims to check for microchips on every lost pet that comes into their stores. However, sometimes mistakes can happen if the stores get really busy. So it’s always a good idea to call the store yourself and double check that they scanned for a chip on Fido.

2. What happens if a microchip is found?

   If an employee finds a microchip on a lost pet, they’ll scan it to get the contact info of the owner. Then they’ll sort of try to trace down the owner and let them know their furry friend has been located. At the same time, the store will hold onto Fluffy until the owners come to pick them up.

3. How long does Petco hold lost pets?

   In general, Petco aims to keep lost pets for about a week before transferring them to a local animal shelter. Nevertheless, if the owners contact Petco right away when they realize their pet is missing, Petco may hold onto them a little longer to give the owners time to come get them.

4. What happens if no microchip is found?

   If a lost pet isn’t microchipped, Petco will post information about them online and in the store in hopes the owners see it and claim them. However, if no one claims them after about a week, Petco has to send the pet to the local shelter. From there, if the shelter can’t find the owners, the pet enters their adoption program. So it’s important to microchip pets to avoid them getting lost forever!

5. Is checking for microchips free at Petco?

   Yup, scanning lost pets for microchips is free of charge at Petco. They see it as sort of their responsibility to try and reunite lost pets with their people. However, if medical care is required, like if the pet is injured or sick, owners may need to pay for veterinary treatment. But the microchip scan itself is on the house.

   

6. Should I rely only on Petco to scan for a microchip?

   While Petco does aim to scan every pet that comes into their stores, it’s always a good idea to not rely solely on them. Perhaps the store got busy that day and someone forgot to scan. So it’s also smart to call local vets and shelters yourself to see if they’ve gotten any pets matching the description. A microchip drastically increases the chances of getting a lost pet back, so it’s worth putting in a little extra effort.