Domestic animal (microchip) registries

Microchip registries that accept records for cats or dogs microchipped in Victoria must be licensed with the department.

The following registries are licensed to provide domestic animal registry services in Victoria:

Implanters operating in Victoria must provide the required information for an implanted dog, cat or horse to one of the listed registries above within two days of implantation.

Registry requirements

There are numerous conditions of licence and legislative requirements that licensed registries must abide by. Some of these are:

• 24 hour access must be provided so individual animals can be reunited with their owners.
• Details of microchip and prescribed identifying information must be placed on the registry within 4 days of receipt — provided all information is received from the authorised implanter and the required fee is paid.
• Licensed registries must communicate with each other to identify animal ownership if the details are not on their registry.
• A separate backup, updated at least monthly, of all records must be maintained.
• The animal's owner must be provided with a certificate of identification that has details of how to change contact information or ownership.
• Records must be maintained for the life of the animal or 30 years after a record is first established - whichever is the greatest of these periods.
• Microchip numbers must be verified to ensure uniqueness.