In a country where animal welfare is often challenged by resource constraints, microchipping emerges as a small act with a big impact. Whether you live in the suburbs of Johannesburg or the rural outskirts of Limpopo, the benefits of microchipping your pet are significant — and increasingly essential.
“It’s a cost-effective way of keeping your animal safe,” says Samanta Stelli, publicity and communications officer at the National Council of SPCAs (NSPCA), in an interview with Salaamedia. “It really isn’t expensive — at most, you’re looking at paying a couple hundreds of Rands to get the chip implanted. It’s not especially painful for your dog either, and it will most of the time last for your dog’s lifetime.”
Microchipping involves implanting a tiny RFID chip, about the size of a grain of rice, just beneath the skin between a pet’s shoulder blades. The process takes only seconds and is often compared to a routine vaccination in terms of discomfort. Once implanted, the chip emits a unique ID number that can be scanned by vets, shelters, or animal welfare officers to trace the pet back to its registered owner.
According to the Cape of Good Hope SPCA, more than 90% of lost pets that arrive at their shelter have no form of identification. “Every month, we process over 100 missing pet reports,” the organisation states. Yet reunions do happen — like the emotional return of Pumba, a Labrador missing for nine months, found emaciated but safe thanks to a microchip.
“South Africa is a country of animal lovers,” Stelli adds. “Most people care and respect animals and you will often find people picking up strays, taking them to the local SPCA or vet where they can be checked for microchips and then reunited with their owners.”
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While there is no legislation mandating microchipping in South Africa — unlike the UK, where it’s compulsory for dogs — local initiatives are stepping up. Many SPCAs and animal welfare groups offer microchipping at reduced rates, sometimes as low as R150. Hill’s Pet Nutrition notes that some microchip providers may charge a small additional registration fee, but the overall cost remains affordable for most pet owners.
Importantly, microchipping isn’t a silver bullet. Pet owners must keep their contact details updated in the microchip database. If you move or change numbers and fail to update the registry, the chip becomes ineffective.
Still, in a country where thousands of pets go missing each year, a microchip can be the difference between heartbreak and a joyful reunion.
Listen to our full podcast below, where we discuss the power of microchipping in South Africa.
Image via Michelson Philanthropies.
