The Microchip Mess 

In a recent newsletter, we mentioned that unless a microchip registration is activated at the same company who issued the microchop (i.e. you have paid extra to have it registered) --- AND regardless of whether your pet is microchipped or not --- the chip meant not much more than "an implanted piece of rice". 

We got a LOT of emails about this topic (and a topic we are passionate about for newly adopted dogs can go missing within the first 48 hours if not carefully watched in regards to opened doors, etc.), so this page at our website elaborates on this microchip mess issue.  

Just because someone told you the dog has been microchipped, it will NOT have the new owner's information unless an additional fee and information has been submitted to the company who manufactured the chip.  This is a common misconception among the general public - a 'chipped' dog will be reunited with their owner simply because they are 'chipped'.  Depending on the company, some require an annual fee - others require a lifetime fee - but all require some kind of fee on top of the implantation fee for the owner's information to be included in their database.

In the December 2009 edition of "DOGWatch" (an EXCELLENT source of information from Cornell University's prestigious College of Veterinary Medicine - we recommend every dog owner should subscribe to this publication), there was an article about this same microchipping topic.  And to quote:

"This year, the American Animal Hospital Association unveiled petmicrochiplookup.org, and a startup company launched a beta version of checkthechip.com.  Both of these websites --- which are free --- match a microchip number with the microchip's manufacturer or distributor.  Additionally, the AAHA site searches several registries for updated information."

We tested out both websites and none of the seventy test cases of adopted TLC dogs showed up with owner information at either website.  Only one of the two (PetMicrochipLookup) showed a TLC dog (Bella), despite EVERY TLC dog being microchipped and we ourselves as a rescue have activated the registrations (and paid) for them to be included in the AVID system. 

Bella at Petlink.com gave her name, breed and microchip information - little use if you were to lose your loved pet and someone else found them.  To test this system further, we registered her litter of five puppies at Petlink.com and while the system took their names, sexes, microchip numbers, breed and color (unless you paid an additional $11.95, it took no further information).  A search for their microchip numbers rendered only the name, breed and microchip number accordingly.

After we registered Bella's litter at the Petlink website, then went back and checked the PetMicroshipLookUp.com website, it advised us the pet was registered on 11/22/09 and to call PetLink at 877-738-5465 (remember though, we did not include any owner information on Bella's litter when we registered them at the website).  PetLink uses ResQ chips (yet another microchip company), so unless the dog was implanted with this type of chip, the chances of getting back your dog using the PetLink website is null (information verified with a supervisor at their company as well).

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And as for the CheckTheChip.com website?  We believe (although we could not determine from the website), it determines from the entry what type of chip it is, and then responds accordingly to the brand of chip (i.e. if 10 digits, respond with this, if 9 digits respond with this, etc.).  If you have the chip number, you can tell which brand it is by looking at it - and who you would need to call as well.  So just how valuable is this website?  It matches the types and the most common are :

• 10 digit-alpha/numeric code - InfoPet - 800-463-6738 or AKC® CAR - 800-252-7894
• 9 digit-numeric code - AVID  - 800-336-2843
• 15 digit-numeric code - Home Again - 888-466-3242
• Not as common in the SoCal area are: PetLink (ResQ™) - 877-LINK and 24PetWatch™ - 866-597-2424

Bottom line on the microchip mess?

UNLESS you have had your dog implanted AND paid for the activation registration with that particular company, regardless of the physically implanted microchip, the chances of getting back your pet are slim... BECAUSE:

• There are two different types of microchips on the market. The first microchip that became popular has been in use here since the 1990s. The other (called ISO) has long been used in Europe and was introduced in the U.S. for companion animals in 2003, although it had already been used here for large animals for some time.
• Both types of chips use different radio frequencies, with the result that no scanner is compatible with all the microchips out there--even though some are supposed to be universal. If a shelter has a scanner that can't read the microchip implanted in your dog, the chip is useless in that situation. Some shelters and clinics have multiple scanners, but most can't afford more than one (they cost several hundred dollars, and shelters are always short of funds). Although some manufacturers state that they have universal scanners, those haven't worked out as well as hoped.
• There's more than one registry--less helpful than having one big national database, free and easy to use for the average person without requiring cost by the owners to include the information to get their pet back fast.

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Why is this important enough for TLC to elaborate on it with another web page?

In our particular county of Ventura, ownership is determined by licensing (although there has been some confusion over this point when we verified this fact again).  A dog can easily enough lose their county tag if they lose their collar.  Some owners don't bother to even put the license on the dog's collar!  The greater Los Angeles area borders Ventura County and their rules are that ownership is determined by microchipping, not licensing.

To make matters worse, Ventura County shelters use InfoPet while Los Angeles city shelters use AVID, who do supply a blue plastic AVID ID tag (but again, many owners don't add this to the dog's collar and/or it can be lost if the collar is lost).

According to the National Council on Pet Population Study and Policy (NCPPSP), only 15 to 20 percent of dogs are returned to their owners. Most of these were identified with tags, tattoos or microchips. It is estimated that 5% of the dogs in the U.S. are microchipped by one brand or another, and since 2003, over 1.8 million dogs and cats have been microchipped.  But it is also estimated fewer than 2% of the dogs have updated microchip information, and many were not registered (activated) by the owner at all, despite being microchipped by a vet or animal hospital.

Sadly enough, while microchipping your pet can add to the chances you will get them back if they are ever lost, each year more than 3 million dogs and cats are put down in this country's shelters.  We, as responsible and caring pet owners, need to find better ways to resolve this microchip mess. 

As a rescue, we have begun registering each dog with the IDTag.com program so each dog has their own unique serial number and tag, plus their photo and information is available online in the hopes they are quickly reunited with their new furever family.  TLC pays for the first year, but after that it is up to the owner to renew.  Granted, it is a stop-gap measure, but until a national database is created where all microchips are combined (at no fee to the owners), many of these dogs will go lost, end up in a shelter and possibly not reunited with their owners at all for one reason or another... or die needlessly.

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More reading available on this topic:

1. How Pet Microchipping Works - a 'must read', informative article

2. HSUS: High Technology - Identifying Lost Pets With Microchips (Note: Universal scanners are very expensive and while they are supplied to some shelters for free depending upon the chips they implant, most rescues cannot afford one.)

3. Microchip: Grain-sized microchip can be Fido's ticket home - nice article written by Canismajor that explains the differences between the frequencies of the transmitters in the microchips, a bit of the history, etc.  (Again, to be found, the person finding the dog must have an universal scanner as vets and some shelters do.)

4. HomeAgain (microchip distributor)

5. Wikipedia: Microchip

6. Should I microchip my dog? Pros and cons of the topic

7. Doggie GPS by the Bill Foundation

Special Note: if you have adopted a TLC dog or puppy, they are implanted with a microchip and the rescue pays to activate the registration with the new adopter's information in order to be included into the AVID databases.  We also maintain a database ourselves of the microchipping, licensing and IDTag.com serial numbers.