Columbia, MO Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)
Key Facts
- Scope
- Applies to any impounded dog or cat
- Fee
- $15 fee plus cost of chip
- Exception
- Skipped if animal already chipped
- Registry
- Owner must update chip registry address
Summary
Columbia, Missouri requires any dog or cat picked up by animal control to be microchipped before release, if it isn't chipped already.
If the animal is a domestic dog or cat that has not been implanted with a readable identifying microchip, the animal shall be implanted with an identifying microchip before being released. The owner shall pay a microchip implantation fee of fifteen dollars ($15.00) plus the cost of the microchip before the dog or cat is released. If the animal has previously been implanted with a microchip, the owner shall notify the department and any applicable national registry of any change in address or telephone number.
Official source re-checked September 7, 2026: no newer edition of the code had been published (publisher’s edition: Code of Ordinances: Supplement 138).
Full Breakdown
Under City Code § 5-5(a), any domestic dog or cat impounded by Columbia, Boone County animal control, for running at large or any other reason, must be implanted with a readable identifying microchip before it is released back to its owner, unless it is already chipped. The owner pays a $15 microchip fee plus the cost of the chip itself. If the animal already carries a microchip, the owner must instead notify the department and any national pet registry of a change in address or phone number before the animal is redeemed.
Violations & Fines
An owner who refuses microchipping or the $15 fee cannot redeem the animal, and it may be transferred, released to a shelter, or humanely destroyed under § 5-5(c) after five days.
Frequently Asked Questions
Do I have to microchip my dog in Columbia?
What if my pet is already microchipped?
Sources & Official References
Other rules in Columbia
Compare Columbia to another location·View the Missouri animal ordinances overview
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