A microchip is a rice-sized ID chip placed under the skin between the shoulder blades in a few seconds, and it brings a lost dog or cat home only if it is registered to your current phone number. Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne is a vet clinic in Charlotte, North Carolina, that microchips dogs and cats, often during a visit you are already making.
A chip has no battery and does not track location. A shelter or vet passes a scanner over it, reads the ID number and looks it up in a registry. Petfolk Ballantyne is a vet in Ballantyne at 5335 Ballantyne Commons Pkwy, Suite 150; call (980) 300-6982 or book online.
Why does a microchip matter for pets in Charlotte?
Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control uses microchip data and rabies records to find the families of strays, and it holds them for 72 hours. The county also requires a microchip and rabies vaccine for any pet reclaimed from the shelter, at added cost if your pet doesn't have them.
The shelter says more pets go missing over the July 4 weekend than at any other time of year. After July 4, 2025, it had zero open kennels, according to WBTV. Its advice was to get a microchip with current contact details and to ask your vet about anxiety medicine for pets that panic at loud noises.
Five steps, no stitches
At Petfolk Ballantyne, placing a chip takes a few minutes and needs no surgery. Fear-free handling is standard at every Petfolk clinic, so expect treats and a calm voice.
Scan first. The doctor checks for an existing chip, which is common in rescues.
Check the new chip. The team scans it in its sealed package to confirm the number matches the paperwork.
Place it. The chip sits inside a sterile needle. The doctor lifts the loose skin between the shoulder blades and places it just under the surface, a little like a vaccine with a larger needle.
Scan again. A final scan confirms the chip reads in its new spot.
Leave with the number. Take a photo of the chip number and the registration details before you go.
You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit. If your pet will be under anesthesia for surgery, ask whether the chip can go in then.
Many chips go in at spay or neuter
Across Petfolk's Charlotte-area clinics, a microchip was part of 33% of dog and 52% of cat spay or neuter visits from October 2025 to September 2026. At Petfolk Ballantyne, 60% of the chips placed in that window went into dogs. Across Petfolk clinics, the typical pet chipped was about 10 months old.
How do I register my pet's microchip?
Register the chip with the registry named on your paperwork, using a phone number you answer and an email you check. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control also registers microchips in its local database free of charge, including chips placed elsewhere.
Add a second contact, such as a family member or neighbor. Update the record when life changes, whether that is a move from Stallings into Charlotte, a new phone or a rehomed pet. Ask for a scan at each yearly exam at Petfolk Ballantyne to confirm the chip still reads.
It turns out she was chipped and they helped us find her owners. Julie, Google review
What should I do if my microchipped pet goes missing?
Search your street and yard, and leave a worn shirt and water by your door.
Call the microchip registry to flag your pet as lost and confirm your contact details.
Contact Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control, and check the shelter in person within the 72-hour hold.
Post a clear photo in neighborhood groups.
Call nearby vet clinics, since people often bring found pets in to be scanned.
The AVMA has more on microchip registration and scanning.
If your pet is hurt after bolting
Go to a 24-hour emergency hospital first if your pet is hurt after running off, such as hit by a car, bleeding or limping badly. Chip and paperwork questions can wait. Petfolk Ballantyne is not a 24-hour hospital.
Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Ballantyne, or see all veterinary services in Ballantyne.
Microchip questions pet parents ask
By the Harris Teeter on Ballantyne Commons Parkway