Your Pet's Microchip Could Be Useless If Chip Company Closes
CINCINNATI – You may believe your pets are safe with microchips, but that might not be entirely true. A major issue has emerged in the pet microchip industry, leaving many animals without a reliable way to be reunited with their owners.
One of the largest microchip companies in the country faced a sudden downfall last year, and with it, the registry of pet owners was lost. This has left local shelters struggling to help reunite lost pets with their families, as many of the chips found are now unregistered and ineffective.
Caption: One of the country's largest microchip companies went down the tubes a year ago, and the company took its registry of owners with it. Local shelters continue to find lost pets with unregistered chips, which are now useless to help reunite the animals with their owners. (WKRC)
A recent case involved a 6-year-old shepherd named Phil Collins, who was handed over to Cincinnati Animal CARE by Springfield Township police. Fortunately, he had a microchip, which usually allows animal care staff to scan and locate the owner.
“We did a microchip lookup and found out and confirmed that it was ‘Save This Life.’”
Save This Life was one of the leading microchip companies in the U.S., with millions of pets registered. However, the company ceased operations in January of last year, leaving many pet owners in the dark.
“This happened with very little notice to pet owners, veterinarians, and shelter partners,” said Miriam Laibson, Microchip Registry Director at 24PetWatch.
Laibson explained that when Save This Life went out of business, the company did not inform its customers or partners about the loss of the registry.
“Unfortunately, because there was not great communication that went out from Save This Life,” said Laibson, “There are many pet parents who I'm sure do not realize still that their pets are not protected.”
Cincinnati Animal CARE has discovered 65 dogs that were registered with Save This Life. While about half of these pets were claimed by their owners, the other half remained at the shelter until they were eventually adopted. Six dogs are still unclaimed.
It’s easy to check whether your pet is registered with a company that is still active. This information should be on your pet’s paperwork from when you adopted them. Shelters, veterinarians, and even some police departments have scanners that can help verify this information.
There are approximately 40 companies that register microchips. The American Animal Hospital Association provides an online lookup tool at www.AAHA.org, where you can enter the registration number and see which company your pet is registered with. From there, you can contact the company or visit their website to ensure your information is up to date.
If your pet’s microchip is registered with Save This Life, don’t get it re-chipped. Most major companies will re-register your pet for free, and many allow you to do it online. Here is a list of companies that can assist:
- Home Again – 888-466-3242
- 24PetWatch – 866-597-2424
- AVID – 800-336-2843
- AKC Reunite – 800-252-7894
- Bayer ResQ – 877-738-5465
- Banfield – 877-567-8738
- Microfindr – 877-738-5465
The key takeaway is to always verify that your pet’s microchip is registered with a current and reliable company. This ensures that if your pet ever goes missing, they can be safely returned to you.
