Every year, lost pets are handed in to shelters, vet clinics and the SPCA with no name tag, no collar, and no way to trace them home – except a microchip. It's the one form of identification that stays with your pet for life, can't be removed or lost, and takes Normanby Road Vet Clinic only a few minutes to implant.
The legal side, in New Zealand
All dogs born after 1 July 2006 must be microchipped in New Zealand, with an exemption for working farm dogs. If you've adopted, rehomed or imported a dog and you're not sure whether it's already chipped, Normanby Road Vet Clinic can scan for an existing chip in seconds before deciding whether a new one is needed.
What actually happens during the procedure
The microchip itself is about the size of a grain of rice, and is inserted under the skin between your pet's shoulder blades using a syringe and a fine needle. For most cats and dogs it causes no more discomfort than a routine vaccination – many pets barely react at all. If your pet is already booked in for desexing or another procedure under general anaesthetic, we can microchip them at the same time, so there's no separate discomfort or separate visit.
Common questions we hear at the clinic
A microchip is not a GPS tracker and doesn't run on a battery – it's a passive chip that only transmits a unique ID number when read by a scanner held close to your pet, and it lasts your pet's whole life without needing to be replaced or recharged. Chips can occasionally shift slightly under the skin as a pet grows, which is exactly why shelters and vets are trained to scan the whole body, not just the shoulders, if a first scan doesn't pick anything up.
Which pets can be microchipped at Normanby Road Vet Clinic
We microchip cats and dogs as standard, and can also microchip rabbits, guinea pigs, and birds. If your pet is an unusual size or species, call 09 638 8445 and we'll let you know whether we can help.
Registering the chip – the step people forget
A microchip only reunites you with your pet if its number is linked to your current contact details. We recommend registering on the NZ Companion Animal Registry, which is checked by vet clinics and the SPCA nationwide, and updating your details there whenever you move house or change phone number – an unregistered or out-of-date chip is nearly as unhelpful as no chip at all.
If you have an Emergency with your pet during our closed hours please see under Services page for a list Emergency clinics in Auckland:
ARC 8 Hereford St Ponsonby 09 281 5815 or ARC 224 Albany Highway 09 281 5815
VSA 133 Central Park Dr, Henderson 09 320 5645 or Mt Wellington, Corner Hotunui Drive & Te Apunga Place, Sylvia Park, off Carbine Rd 09 320 5645
Western After Hours Vet Clinic Rosebank Rd, Avondale (09) 820 7273
North Shore Veterinary Ellis Road, Glenfield (09) 443-5640
Manukau After Hours Veterinary 15 Jack Conway Ave, Manukau (09) 277 8383
Please do not go to the emergency clinic if it is not urgent/life threatening. (Runny eyes/nose, coughing, limping, itching etc can wait until the morning to be seen by our day vet)
If you are very worried or unsure if you are dealing with an emergency about your pet after clinic hours and you are a client with us you can reach Dr Chris on his emergency phone until 10pm or again from 7am each day.
Dr Chris Laurenson - 027 544 4427
Normanby Road Vet Clinic offers a range of friendly and professional vet services for cats, dogs and other animals. From vaccinations to microchipping and even surgeries, we can help your pets remain happy and healthy. Our clinic is easily accessible from all areas of Auckland.
