Sandy, UT Animal Ordinances: Microchipping (2026)

Sandy City Code § 12-3-4(i) requires that every owner of a dangerous dog, as determined under § 12-3-3, implant a microchip on the dog before registering it with the Division of Animal Services, one of a list of mandatory conditions that also includes a six-foot maximum leash, secure enclosure specifications, 'Beware of Dog' signage, and a ban on keeping any other dog while a dangerous dog is on the property. For the general dog and cat population, microchipping is voluntary but incentivized: § 12-1-7(d) lets the City Council reduce license fees by resolution if the owner implants an approved microchip in the animal, and § 12-1-8(b) exempts any cat with proof of an implanted microchip from having to wear a license tag at all.

The chapter also leans on microchips for identifying impounded strays: § 12-1-23 requires the Division to scan every non-wild impounded animal with a universal microchip scanner, take a photograph, and post both online within one business day, unless emergency conditions or a technical failure prevent it. A dangerous-dog owner who fails to comply with the microchip requirement or any other condition in § 12-3-4 faces a misdemeanor, immediate seizure and impoundment of the dog, and revocation of both the dog's license and any permit allowing it to be kept, underscoring that this is the one context where microchipping is not optional in Sandy.