Updated BSAVA Microchipping & Scanning Information for Companion Animals Now Available

23 June 2025

BSAVA has produced an updated resource for small animal veterinary professionals, consolidating information on microchipping and scanning of dogs, cats, ferrets, and other companion animals into a single document.

The BSAVA Microchipping Advice on Dogs, Cats, Ferrets & Other Species for Veterinary Professionals provides up-to-date information on the legislation covering compulsory microchipping of dogs, and cats where applicable, including differences across the UK’s devolved nations. It also highlights relevant guidance from the RCVS Code of Professional Conduct, other legislation, such as pet travel requirements, applicable to the microchipping of companion animals, and differences in approach that should be considered when microchipping other species.

The resource, which includes a set of FAQs, is available online here and as a downloadable document to help veterinary professionals support their clients to meet their legal responsibilities.

BSAVA supports the permanent identification and registration of dogs, cats, and other companion animals. Further information is available in the BSAVA Scientific Position Statement on Pet Identification.

BSAVA collaborates with other veterinary associations to influence outcomes that support animal identification and welfare. You can read our joint BVA, BSAVA, SPVS Policy Position (PP) on Microchipping and Scanning (dogs and cats) and Microchip Databases (from July 2024) here and our Joint BVA, BVNA, BSAVA and SPVS PP on the microchipping of cats (from September 2020) here. Please note, since this Policy Position was created some content has been superseded by newly introduced legislation