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Pet microchipping and registration in Dubai
She's slipped her collar twice.I've never lost her once.
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Home / Our Services / Microchipping
- When
- At their first visits, or any visit after
- How long
- A few seconds, like a vaccination
- Registration
- Required by Dubai law, done at the same visit
- In your plan
- Every puppy and kitten plan See more
Microchipping: What is a pet microchip?
Microchipping your cat or dog places a tiny chip, about the size of a grain of rice, under the skin between the shoulder blades. It holds one number, and that number leads back to you.
When a vet or Dubai Municipality scans your pet, the number comes up, and their registration shows they're yours. A microchip has no battery and no GPS. It cannot track your pet. It helps whoever finds them get them back to you.
We scan first
To check they do not already have a chip, from a breeder, shelter or another country.
We place it
Under the skin between the shoulder blades, in a few seconds.
We scan again
To make sure the chip reads, before you leave.
We record it
The number goes on your pet's record and their registration. Keep it somewhere safe too.
Pet registration: How to register your pet in Dubai
Dubai law requires every cat and dog to be registered with Dubai Municipality and to wear an identification collar (Local Order No. 11 of 2003). Dubai Municipality registers them under their microchip number, so that if they are ever lost, they can be traced back to you.
We register your pet for you, at the same visit as their microchip and Rabies vaccine.
Step by step
Registration with Dubai Municipality
- The microchip
We place one, or check the one they already have.
- The Rabies vaccine
Registration needs a valid one. We give it, or check their current one. It is given from 12 weeks old. See vaccinations.
- The registration and their tag
We register them with Dubai Municipality under their chip number, and they get their Dubai Municipality tag for their collar. Bring their vaccination record or pet passport, if they have one.
- Each renewal
Registration is renewed with their Rabies vaccine, usually once a year, and they get a new tag. We remind you when it is due.
- When something changes
If they change owner, or your contact details change, the registration needs updating. Tell us and we update it.
On the day
What to bring
- Your pet: registration needs them there in person
- Their vaccination record or pet passport, if they have one
- If they are new to you, an ownership transfer letter (NOC) from the previous owner
Prefer to do it yourself? Dubai Municipality's Al Khawaneej Veterinary Clinic registers pets too, and you can apply through the Dubai Now app or the Dubai Municipality website.
Dubai Municipality's veterinary section800 900
Living in Abu Dhabi? Registration there is with the Department of Municipalities and Transport, through TAMM, and an Abu Dhabi vet clinic starts it. We can place the microchip here, and the number goes with your pet.
Travel: Travelling with your pet
While you live in Dubai, Dubai Municipality requires your pet to be microchipped and registered. To leave the UAE and come back, the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment (MOCCAE) asks for a microchip, a health certificate from MOCCAE before you go, and a Rabies vaccine that is still valid when you return. The chip number has to match on every document.
Many countries only accept a Rabies vaccine given after the microchip. So we place the chip first, and the vaccine is recorded against their chip number from the start.
Lost and found: If your pet goes missing
A microchip only helps if the number leads to the right person. Three things make sure it does.
Know their number
Keep your pet's microchip number in your phone, with their registration. It is the first thing a vet, a shelter or Dubai Municipality will ask for.
Call around, straight away
Call vet clinics and shelters near where they were last seen, and give them the chip number. Any of them can scan a pet that is brought in. Dubai Municipality's veterinary section is on 800 900.
Moved, or a new number?
Tell us, and we update their registration. A chip that leads to an old phone number cannot bring them home.
Membership: In your plan
The microchip and Dubai Municipality registration are in every puppy and kitten plan, in the first six months, with their vaccinations and health checks. For an older pet who has never been chipped, we can do it at any visit.
Collars slip. The chip stays.
Microchipping: Common questions
Does microchipping hurt my pet?
About as much as a vaccination: a quick pinch, over in a few seconds. Most pets barely notice, and it is often done at the same visit as their vaccines.
Is microchipping mandatory in Dubai?
Yes. Dubai law requires every cat and dog to be registered with Dubai Municipality and to wear an identification collar (Local Order No. 11 of 2003), and registration is done under their microchip number. Without it, you can be fined, and we can do both at the same visit.
How do I check if my pet is microchipped or registered?
Any vet clinic can scan for a microchip in seconds, and the number tells you whether one is there. A Dubai Municipality tag on their collar shows they have been registered. Not sure about either? Bring them in, and we check both.
Is a microchip a GPS tracker?
No. A microchip has no battery and cannot show where your pet is. It holds one number, which a scanner reads when your pet is found, and that number leads back to you through their registration.
How do I register my pet with Dubai Municipality?
Your pet needs a microchip and a valid Rabies vaccine. We register them for you at the same visit. You can also register through Dubai Municipality's Al Khawaneej Veterinary Clinic, the Dubai Now app or the Dubai Municipality website.
Do indoor cats need a microchip?
Yes. Indoor cats slip out through an open door or onto a balcony more often than anyone plans for, and a microchip is how a vet or shelter finds you. They need one to be registered, and to travel.
At what age can a puppy or kitten be microchipped?
At their first visits, alongside their first vaccinations, and before their Rabies vaccine at 12 weeks. Registration follows once the Rabies vaccine is done.
How much does microchipping cost in Dubai?
In a Paws & Co puppy or kitten plan, the microchip and registration are included. For other pets, we will confirm the cost before we open.
Ask us: Not sure if yours is registered?
Our Services: See more services
This page is general advice. It cannot replace a vet seeing your pet. Registration and travel rules are set by Dubai Municipality and the Ministry of Climate Change and Environment, and can change. Sources: Local Order No. 11 of 2003, Federal Law No. 22 of 2016, Dubai Municipality's Pet registration service, MOCCAE's pet import and export pages.