How to Deactivate Microchips in Dogs

Owners who want to identify their dogs and track them must surgically implant small microchips under the canine's skin. Although locating that microchip with a chip scanner is easy, removing and deactivating it requires surgery and can be painful for your dog. If you wish to remove and deactivate the microchip, simply take your dog to the animal clinic or veterinarian office where it was implanted.

Things You'll Need

  • Microchip scanner
  • Veterinarian
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Instructions

    • 1

      Locate the microchip by taking your dog to the local veterinarian and using a microchip scanning device. There are several types of microchips, so you may need to go to several animal clinics before finding the correct scanner. For example, if your dog has an RFID microchip, it will need a specialized RFID reader to locate the implanted chip.

    • 2

      Schedule an appointment for an x-ray to determine the exact location of the microchip and how evasive the removable procedure will be. Depending on the chip implant's depth, it may require surgical removal to extract and deactivate.

    • 3

      Make an appointment for surgery at your local animal clinic. Once you have located the specific area of the microchip, the surgeons will remove it. Once the microchip has been removed, you can deactivate it simply by destroying it using a hammer or a hard object.