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Look up a chip number

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Where can I get a microchip scanned?

At 31 participating chip readers in 28 towns, and at every vet and every shelter. Through our network 1.559 microchips have already been scanned.

See the list See the map

Portrait of a cat

At every vet, every shelter and every participating chip reader, and it costs nothing, even if you are not a customer there. A chip scanner is not something you have at home; you need someone who owns one. The scan itself takes half a minute.

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    Find an address near you

    Our list shows the participating chip readers with town and opening hours, and the map shows them by location. Besides that, every vet and every shelter reads a microchip, also outside this network.

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    Call ahead before you go

    A chip reader is not always someone with a practice; it can also be a private individual or a pet shop. So call or message first, so you do not stand at a closed door and they know you are coming.

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    Bring the animal, or note down the number

    The microchip has to be scanned physically, so the animal has to come along. If you cannot transport the animal, an animal ambulance will often come out. If someone has already read out the number, write it down: fifteen digits.

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    Then look the number up free of charge

    With the microchip number you look up the owner on our search page. If the animal is with ChipReaders, we alert the owner straight away. If it is held elsewhere, we point you there; we also check nine Dutch and fifteen international databases.

Where is the microchip and how does it work?

The microchip sits under the skin between the shoulder blades and is the size of a grain of rice. It has no battery and transmits nothing: only when a scanner is held close does it return a number of fifteen digits.

That number is not a name and not an address. It refers to a database where the owner holds their details. So scanning alone is not enough; the number then has to be looked up.

Chip readers by province

The network counts 31 participating chip readers across 9 provinces. Choose your province for the addresses near you.

What if no microchip is found?

That happens: the animal is not chipped, or the microchip has moved. A good scan therefore also covers the neck, the flanks and the front legs, not only between the shoulder blades.

If genuinely nothing is found, report the animal to us as found with a clear photo. We automatically compare your report with open missing reports of the same species nearby.

Frequently asked questions

What does it cost to have a microchip scanned?
Nothing. Participating chip readers, vets and shelters do it free of charge, even if you are not a customer there. Looking up the number at ChipReaders is also free and needs no account.
Can I scan a microchip with my phone?
No. Animal microchips work at 134.2 kHz, which is a different technology from the NFC in a phone. You really need a chip scanner. Apps that claim otherwise cannot do it.
Do I need an appointment?
At a vet or shelter usually not, but calling ahead is sensible. At a private chip reader yes: call or message first, because they are not home all day.
What do I do with the number I get?
Look it up on our search page. That is free and needs no account. If the animal is with us, we alert the owner straight away; if it is held elsewhere, we point you to the right database.
I own a chip scanner, can I join?
Yes. Vets, shelters, pet shops and private individuals with a scanner can sign up as a chip reader. You then appear on the map and in the list, and people with a found animal can find you.

Find a chip reader near you

The list is organised by town and shows opening hours and contact details. On the map you see at a glance who is closest.

Go to the list