National Pets Reunited Day – Helping Lost Pets Find Their Way Home

2nd February 2026

At Petpals, nothing matters more to us than keeping pets safe and helping them stay where they belong – at home with their families. That’s why we’re proud to support identibase in their campaign to raise awareness of National Pets Reunited Day, taking place on 4th February.

Did you know that pets with microchips are six times more likely to be reunited with their families than those without? Every successful reunion starts with a microchip. This National Pets Reunited Day is the perfect reminder to check that your pet is not only microchipped, but that their details are registered correctly and kept fully up to date. When a pet goes missing, time is critical, and clear, permanent identification can make all the difference to a swift and happy reunion.

Microchipping has been a legal requirement for dogs since 6 April 2016, and for cats since 10 June 2024 in England. Despite this, recent figures highlight that there is still work to be done. According to Woodgreen Pets Charity (June 2025), three out of five (65%) stray cats brought into their Godmanchester centre over the past 12 months were not microchipped. Sadly, only 7% of stray cats were reunited with their owners during that time – often because pets had no microchip, or the contact details linked to the chip were incorrect.

To help pet owners do everything possible to keep their pets safe, identibase has created a helpful guide covering how to reduce the risk of pets going missing, what to do if the worst happens, and the essential tools every pet owner should have in place. There’s also useful advice on what to do if you find a stray pet, available via the Woodgreen website.

For more information about microchipping and keeping your pet’s details up to date, visit identibase at www.identibase.co.uk/microchipping-your-pet

If you have any questions, their friendly team of pet protection experts is always happy to help on 0330 912 8077.

Together, with responsible pet ownership and the right identification in place, we can help reunite more lost pets with the people who love them.