Every dog and cat should have a microchip, a rice-sized ID chip placed under the skin between the shoulder blades, because collars slip off and a chip stays put. It takes a few seconds with a needle, much like a vaccine, and many pets get one during their spay or neuter. Petfolk SouthPark is a veterinary clinic in Charlotte, North Carolina, where our vet in SouthPark places and scans microchips for dogs and cats.
Call (980) 580-8079 or book online.
What does a microchip do, and what doesn't it do?
A microchip is a small glass capsule with no battery and no GPS. When a shelter or vet passes a scanner over it, the chip reads back a unique number, and that number is only useful if it links to a registry record with your current phone number. The American Veterinary Medical Association urges pet parents to chip and register for that reason. A chip won't show you where your pet is; it shows whoever finds your pet who to call.
When do SouthPark pets get microchipped?
At Petfolk SouthPark, from October 2025 to September 2026:
7 in 10 microchips (70%) were placed on the same day as a pet's spay or neuter surgery, while the pet was already asleep.
The typical pet microchipped was about a year old.
Dogs made up about 62% of microchips and cats about 38%.
Adult pets can be chipped awake at any routine visit, including a wellness exam.
What happens at a microchip appointment at Petfolk SouthPark?
Scan first. Adopted and rescued pets sometimes already have a chip. Two chips aren't harmful, but two registry records can send a finder to the wrong place.
Read the new chip before it goes in, so the number on your paperwork matches the chip in your pet.
Place it between the shoulder blades, the standard spot every scanner operator checks.
Scan again after placement to confirm the chip reads through the skin.
Confirm your contact details before you leave.
Ask for a scan at future checkups. Chips rarely move or fail, and a yearly scan catches the rare problem.
Mild tenderness for a day is normal. Call Petfolk SouthPark if you notice swelling, discharge or a lump that keeps growing at the spot.
How do I register a microchip in Charlotte?
Register the chip number with the manufacturer's registry, or confirm it was done for you, and update it any time you move, change phone numbers or rehome a pet. Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control also registers microchips in its local database free of charge, including chips placed elsewhere.
Is a microchip the same as a rabies tag or pet license?
No, each does a different job, and pet parents in Sedgefield and across Charlotte need all three.
The rabies tag shows a vaccination number anyone can read, no scanner needed.
The microchip is permanent ID that needs a scanner.
The pet license is a separate yearly requirement: dogs, cats and ferrets four months or older in Charlotte or unincorporated Mecklenburg County must be licensed every year, with proof of current rabies vaccination.
What happens if my pet ends up at the Charlotte shelter?
Stray pets taken to Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control are held 72 hours while staff use microchip data and rabies records to find their families. To reclaim a pet, Mecklenburg County requires a microchip and rabies vaccine; if your pet doesn't have them, they're provided at added cost (Charlotte ACC lost pet page). If your pet goes missing:
Call your chip registry and mark your pet as lost.
Contact Charlotte-Mecklenburg Animal Care & Control, and visit in person if you can.
Call nearby vet clinics, including Petfolk SouthPark, and ask them to scan any pet matching your pet's description.
How much does microchipping cost at Petfolk SouthPark?
At Petfolk SouthPark, a microchip is priced on its own and can be added to a wellness exam (which starts at $99, or is included with a PetfolkCare plan) or to a spay or neuter. You'll see the total first.
What if my pet comes home hurt?
If your pet comes home hurt, limping badly, bleeding or breathing hard, go to a 24-hour emergency hospital first; updating records can wait. Petfolk SouthPark is open 8 AM to 6 PM, seven days a week, with no overnight care.
Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - SouthPark is at 4914 Old Sardis Rd, Unit C5, Charlotte, NC 28211. Call (980) 580-8079 or book online.
Book a visit at Petfolk Veterinary & Urgent Care - SouthPark, or see all veterinary services in SouthPark.
Microchip questions, answered
East of Phillips Place, on Old Sardis Road