Last year, I found 2 beautiful purebred male cocker spaniels puppies alongside the road in a truly rural area. They were filthy, starving and covered with burrs & fleas. I picked them up, not wanting them to get hit, and took them along to my vet. They were scanned by at least 3 vet techs and both vets and they were not chipped. I called and went everywhere trying to find the owner(s) and no one claimed them. So after a month of living with 3 cats, 1 6 yr old shepherd and 3 puppies about 4 - 6 months of age, the vet's aunt adopted the puppies. They are living the life of Riley now and happily adjusted and my sanity returned too. Long story short, had they been chipped the dogs would have been reunited with their people but no one even looked for them, that I'm aware of, and they are living a good life with a woman who devotes her life to them.
So yes, my critters are chipped and I will have my vet check the chips on their next visits.