What to do when you find a microchipped pet

You've found a wandering dog or cat. Acting quickly can help it get home instead of spending days in a kennel.

First, check the collar

A tag is the fastest path. An emili QR tag opens the pet's public profile with any phone camera — no app — and provides the available option to contact the owner. An engraved phone number works too: call it.

Then, the microchip

No collar? The chip is still there. A veterinary clinic, shelter or animal-control service can scan for a microchip — availability and fees may vary. If you already have the number — usually 15 digits, sometimes 9 or 10 — enter it in Microchip Lookup to check for a record.

What a match shows

A matched record shows the pet's public details — name, animal type, breed, colour, distinctive signs, license status — and an action to notify the owner, following the contact process available in the record.

If nothing comes up

• Double-check the digits and try again
• Ask a vet or shelter for a fresh scan — misreads happen
• Report the found animal to the municipality or local shelter, so a lost report can match it later

Why this beats a shelter drop-off

Every reunion that happens in the field frees a kennel for an animal that truly needs one — and spares the pet an intake, a medical hold and days of stress.