Every dog and cat should have a microchip plus a collar tag, because collars snap and tags fall off, but a chip under the skin stays for life. Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Concord is a vet clinic in Concord, North Carolina, that microchips dogs and cats in a few seconds during a regular visit, or while a pet is asleep for spay or neuter surgery, then shows you how to register it so a scan leads back to you.
A microchip is a tiny glass-coated transmitter about the size of a grain of rice. It has no battery and does nothing until a scanner passes over it. The scanner reads a unique number, and a registry matches that number to your contact details. It does not track your pet.
Call (980) 360-2922 or book online.
Most chips go in at spay or neuter
At Petfolk Concord, 74% of microchips were placed on the same day as a pet's spay or neuter surgery, from October 2025 to September 2026. The typical pet chipped was about 8 months old, and cats accounted for 54% of Concord microchips. If surgery is already on the calendar, ask about adding the chip then. The spay and neuter page explains the day.
How does a chip compare with a tag or a GPS collar?
Each kind of ID does a different job, and Petfolk Concord recommends a chip plus a collar tag for most pets.
Microchip. It sits under the skin for life, and any vet clinic or shelter with a scanner can read it. Keep your registry details current.
Collar ID tag. Anyone can read it, so it gives the fastest call home from a neighbor. It can come off if the collar breaks or slips.
Rabies tag. Vets and Animal Control can trace it through the clinic's record. North Carolina requires dogs to wear it at all times (G.S. 130A-190).
GPS collar. It shows live location in an app, but it can come off, and it needs charging and a subscription.
A neighbor who finds your dog reads the tag first. A shelter scans for a chip.
Four steps, no anesthesia
Fear-free handling is standard at every Petfolk clinic, so expect a calm voice and treats.
The doctor scans your pet first, in case a shelter or breeder already placed a chip.
The chip comes preloaded in a sterile needle and goes under the loose skin between the shoulder blades, much like a vaccine.
The doctor scans again to confirm the number reads.
You get the chip number and registry details before you leave.
Most pets react about the way they do to a vaccine. You'll get an estimate before any test or treatment. The final bill can differ if the plan changes during the visit. The chip is added to a wellness exam, which starts at $99 or is included with the PetfolkCare plan, or to a spay or neuter surgery.
How do I register my pet's microchip?
Register the chip with the chip company the same day, using a phone number and email you will keep. A chip is only a number until it is linked to you. Update the record when you move or change numbers, and transfer the registration into your name if you adopted a pet that already has a chip.
Save the chip number in your phone and with your pet's records. Not sure a chip is registered? The American Animal Hospital Association runs a universal pet microchip lookup that searches many registries at once.
What should I do if my pet goes missing in Cabarrus County?
Contact Cabarrus County Animal Services, which runs through the Sheriff's Office from its shelter at 244 Betsy Carpenter Place SW in Concord. Its Find a Lost Animal page explains how to search. To reclaim a pet you need photo ID and proof of rabies vaccination, so keep both easy to find.
A neighbor who finds a stray in the Harris Road area, or anywhere in Concord, can bring it to any vet clinic to be scanned, Petfolk Concord included.
Chips and trips abroad
Some countries require an ISO-standard chip placed before certain vaccines. Ask the team before the chip goes in, and check your destination's rules with USDA APHIS. Petfolk does not issue travel health certificates.
A hurt stray comes first
If a pet you found is bleeding, limping badly or struggling to breathe, take it to a 24-hour emergency hospital before worrying about a scan. Petfolk Concord is open 8 AM to 6 PM, seven days a week, and doesn't provide overnight care.
Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - Concord, 2425 Herrons Nest Pl NW, Suite 100, or see all veterinary services in Concord.
Microchip questions, answered plainly
Herrons Nest Place NW, Suite 100