Home Again microchip "Annual Fee"

GoldyCat · Jan 24, 2012

Jenny Yunker said:
With the Home again chip, when the pet has full coverage(paying that yearly fee) give you free calls to the ASPCA Animal Poison Control Center.
Typically they have a $65 fee, but if the pet has the HA chip and has full coverage, home again covers that $65 fee.

Free calls meaning if your pet ingested something and you want to know if it would harm the animal at all or just for normal medical advice (like you pet is scooting)

Welcome to TCS, Jenny.

I'm sure you didn't notice when you posted your reply, but this thread was started in 2008 and resurrected about a year ago. If you are interested in a discussion about the Home Again chip, or any other microchip, you might want to start a new thread. That way people won't be reading a lot of out-of-date information before they get to your post.

lily kay · Oct 1, 2013

johnk73 said:
I called HomeAgain today. You DO have to send in a one-time fee of $16.99. I was thinking that it was prepaid when I bought the kit from the vet. My vet confirmed that they don't send any information to HomeAgain, so my cats aren't in the database yet.

HomeAgain said a check with the form would be fine.

i know this post is old but i wanted to let people know that I recently had a couple of cats neutered and microchipped at SpayAZ clinic. For $32 they microchipped using Home Again chips. I had to register the cats myself but there was NO ADDITIONAL FEE. I don't know if this is a change of policy or some deal with the clinic but the registration process said that my fee was included in the service i'd bought at the clinic. I was able to register, upload my cats pics and info, no problem. Whatever you pay though, it is the cheapest insurance policy you can buy for your cat if it is ever lost.

GoldyCat · Oct 1, 2013

Lily Kay said:
johnk73 said:

I called HomeAgain today. You DO have to send in a one-time fee of $16.99. I was thinking that it was prepaid when I bought the kit from the vet. My vet confirmed that they don't send any information to HomeAgain, so my cats aren't in the database yet.

HomeAgain said a check with the form would be fine.

Click to expand...

i know this post is old but i wanted to let people know that I recently had a couple of cats neutered and microchipped at SpayAZ clinic. For $32 they microchipped using Home Again chips. I had to register the cats myself but there was NO ADDITIONAL FEE. I don't know if this is a change of policy or some deal with the clinic but the registration process said that my fee was included in the service i'd bought at the clinic. I was able to register, upload my cats pics and info, no problem. Whatever you pay though, it is the cheapest insurance policy you can buy for your cat if it is ever lost.

The annual fee has always been for extras. When you get the microchip the initial registration is included in the cost. The additional fee is for extras like the company actively getting "lost cat" notices to local vets and organizations if you call to say you cat is missing. If you don't pay the fee you information is still in the system for anyone who actually scans the chip.

harley3k · Oct 14, 2013

It seems to be even *more* confusing on their site now and in their Renewal E-Mails.

I have 2 cats, one is listed as "Limited" and one is listed as "Expired" (the most recent listing).

The Limited listing has an option to Upgrade, but it is not at all clear that the "Expired" listing is even working.

In the Renewal e-mail they sent to me, they have a big RED "REACTIVE NOW" button and below they list the features:

Lost Pet Recovery

Help with your Search

Lost Pet Alerts & Posters

ASPCA - Staffed Pet Emergency Medical Hotline

Found Pet Travel Insurance

Within the detailed print under Lost Pet Recovery description, they do say that you have "basic* pet recovery service for the lifetime of your pet."

But the ominous looking red button made me think I needed to renew; and the language makes you think it is "INACTIVE" - since they encourage you to REACTIVATE.

So technically BOTH OF THESE ACCOUNTS ARE "LIMITED" But the use of the "EXPIRED" language is now confusing.

I'm sure the tactic works to make them money, but it is a bit of a turnoff for using the service in the future.

-h

THE WEB SITE:

HomeAgain2.png

harley3k
Oct 14, 2013

THE E-MAIL:

HomeAgain.png

harley3k
Oct 14, 2013

mizchellie · Nov 1, 2013

I wanted to give you my opinion of HomeAgain and why I believe they are a huge scam.

You are correct about the fee. If you do not to renew, you do not have to and your pet is still registered.

HomeAgain had a big problem if you do not register your pets microchip with them and choose another service.

Let's say you adopt your pet and the microchip is already implanted but you want to use a different service.

HomeAgain will manipulate the records so that their entry comes up first AND since you registered your pet elsewhere, they do not have your info so they will tell whoever calls that the pet is not registered because the owner was irresponsible and didn't register the microchip.

This means that you pet can be sent to the shelter because of what they did and potentially your beloved furry baby can be euthanized.

c4cats · Dec 18, 2013

Thank you so much for clarifying that. I only just now signed in after several years to update my contact info and I saw "Limited Membership" next to my three cats. I couldn't quite make up what an upgrade would entail and what my limited membership offers. You have cleared the fog perfectly and like you I am keeping my limited membership.

Funny that I found your answer using Google! You never know who you're helping when you post useful info. So keep up the good work!

pangurban · Apr 7, 2014

I know this thread it old but is has helped me a lot. We just recently adopted a seven year old black beauty (male) this past week and he came already chipped with a Home Again chip. When I saw the yearly fee I was pretty angry but ready to pay it if we had to. I find it disgusting that they make sure their info comes up first in a search so that they can say a pet hasn't been registered even if they have with another company. We will just pay by mail with a check so that they don't try to charge our credit card in the future and be done with it. What a sneaky company that really doesn't care about the safety of pets.

ahcoyne · Sep 14, 2016

Don't endanger your pet with this service!

I was a fan of HomeAgain until I found out they had NOT notified the only shelter in my county about my lost cat. HomeAgain only notifies shelters and vets that have signed up with their system, and not all shelters and Human Society branches do so. As HomeAgain does not tell you which organizations it has notified, the system is worse than useless, misleading you into thinking you have covered all your bases.

When I reported my pet lost, HomeAgain sent me a note reassuring me that they had alerted all the "Home Again vets, shelters and pet rescuers." Since we have only one shelter in the area, I assumed the information had reached them. I work overseas so it was a huge relief to think that the shelter had been notified officially. When I checked later with the shelter directly, they'd never heard from Home Again and had no report of my lost pet, and no way to contact me if they had found her.

After realizing my pet might have been in the shelter for weeks (or euthanized or put up for adoption) without them knowing to contact me, I spent hours on the phone with Home Again trying to get them to fix this flaw. All they need to do is automatically send a list to pet owners of which organizations have been notified. (This is currently not shared automatically with owners.) Then the pet owner could double check with any shelters not on the list, and Home Again would have provided a useful service. However, Home Again could not commit to making this simple fix to protect pets.

I would recommend avoiding this service until Home Again changes their procedure. If using a similar service, please be sure you understand their policy on alerts to shelters in/out of their network. Otherwise your pet may be found and rescued, and still never come home again.

Margret · Sep 15, 2016

Jasmine already had a microchip when we got her, and, yes, it's Home Again. The chip had never actually been registered with them, which we, of course, did as soon as possible. And no, we don't have any more than the most basic service. I very much wish that Floppy had been chipped.

I think that with any chip, you should be notifying local shelters if your cat has been lost, not relying on the chip company to do it for you. However, don't shelters and vets automatically check for chips when an animal is turned in to them? And if they find one, don't they call the chip company to find out who the animal belongs to? I thought that was the point of chipping.

I ran into this story from Great Britain the other day http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...old-t-lost-800-cat-data-protection-rules.html Now, first off, please note that this is local to Britain. However, there are data protection rules going into place all over the world, and it makes me wonder whether this kind of thing has happened elsewhere. Does anyone else know anything about this?

Margret

LTS3 · Sep 15, 2016

Margret said:
And if they find one, don't they call the chip company to find out who the animal belongs to? I thought that was the point of chipping.

Yes but if the chip is unregistered, the owner can't be contacted

The microchip compnay may have a record that the chip was sold as part of a pack to a vet or shelter but nothing more.

To the original subject which is now a few years old, the basic service for Home Again is free (the same may be true for other companies. Read the fine print). There is a paid yearly membership option if you wish to have additional services and benefits (alerts via smartphone, pet travel assistance, etc).

How much does HomeAgain membership cost pet owners?

Following the first year of HomeAgain membership (which is regularly priced at $19.99 but may be offered at a discount through a HomeAgain vet clinic or shelter), pet owners will be able to maintain their exclusive member benefits by renewing their annual membership at a nominal cost of $19.99 per year.
Note: microchip registration is included with the first year of HomeAgain membership. Once registered, microchips remain in the HomeAgain database permanently and may be updated online at no charge anytime by logging into HomeAgain.com, regardless of annual membership status.

If pet owners decide not to renew their annual membership, will their pets’ microchip ID codes and information still remain in the HomeAgain database?

Once entered in the HomeAgain database, microchips are registered for life, whether or not pet owners renew their annual memberships, and contact information may be updated online anytime free of charge by logging into HomeAgain.com. However, if a non-member’s pet is lost, they are not eligible for the value-added benefits included with the annual HomeAgain membership, such as proactive outreach to local PetRescuer volunteers, medical insurance for lost pets, travel assistance for found pets, the 24/7 medical hotline, etc.

http://microchip.homeagain.com/faqs.html#howmuch

mrsty · Sep 16, 2016

Yes, thank you! I just recently found this out when I helped my niece adopted a kitten from a rescue group. All these years I've been paying the fee! I would never wait for somebody else to help me find my cat if she went missing...I'd be all over it so just having her chipped is what's important to me. They don't tell you that, they just keep billing you annually and it keeps going up.

Margret · Sep 17, 2016

LTS3 said:
Margret said:

And if they find one, don't they call the chip company to find out who the animal belongs to? I thought that was the point of chipping.

Click to expand...

Yes but if the chip is unregistered, the owner can't be contacted

The microchip compnay may have a record that the chip was sold as part of a pack to a vet or shelter but nothing more.

To the original subject which is now a few years old, the basic service for Home Again is free (the same may be true for other companies. Read the fine print). There is a paid yearly membership option if you wish to have additional services and benefits (alerts via smartphone, pet travel assistance, etc).

How much does HomeAgain membership cost pet owners?

Following the first year of HomeAgain membership (which is regularly priced at $19.99 but may be offered at a discount through a HomeAgain vet clinic or shelter), pet owners will be able to maintain their exclusive member benefits by renewing their annual membership at a nominal cost of $19.99 per year.
Note: microchip registration is included with the first year of HomeAgain membership. Once registered, microchips remain in the HomeAgain database permanently and may be updated online at no charge anytime by logging into HomeAgain.com, regardless of annual membership status.

If pet owners decide not to renew their annual membership, will their pets’ microchip ID codes and information still remain in the HomeAgain database?

Once entered in the HomeAgain database, microchips are registered for life, whether or not pet owners renew their annual memberships, and contact information may be updated online anytime free of charge by logging into HomeAgain.com. However, if a non-member’s pet is lost, they are not eligible for the value-added benefits included with the annual HomeAgain membership, such as proactive outreach to local PetRescuer volunteers, medical insurance for lost pets, travel assistance for found pets, the 24/7 medical hotline, etc.

http://microchip.homeagain.com/faqs.html#howmuch

ahcoyne said:
Don't endanger your pet with this service!

I was a fan of HomeAgain until I found out they had NOT notified the only shelter in my county about my lost cat. HomeAgain only notifies shelters and vets that have signed up with their system, and not all shelters and Human Society branches do so. As HomeAgain does not tell you which organizations it has notified, the system is worse than useless, misleading you into thinking you have covered all your bases.

When I reported my pet lost, HomeAgain sent me a note reassuring me that they had alerted all the "Home Again vets, shelters and pet rescuers." Since we have only one shelter in the area, I assumed the information had reached them. I work overseas so it was a huge relief to think that the shelter had been notified officially. When I checked later with the shelter directly, they'd never heard from Home Again and had no report of my lost pet, and no way to contact me if they had found her.

After realizing my pet might have been in the shelter for weeks (or euthanized or put up for adoption) without them knowing to contact me, I spent hours on the phone with Home Again trying to get them to fix this flaw. All they need to do is automatically send a list to pet owners of which organizations have been notified. (This is currently not shared automatically with owners.) Then the pet owner could double check with any shelters not on the list, and Home Again would have provided a useful service. However, Home Again could not commit to making this simple fix to protect pets.

I would recommend avoiding this service until Home Again changes their procedure. If using a similar service, please be sure you understand their policy on alerts to shelters in/out of their network. Otherwise your pet may be found and rescued, and still never come home again.

Margret

mrsty · Sep 18, 2016

I believe I had to do the same, my vet charged me for the chip and putting it in the cat, then I had to pay HomeAgain for the registration with my name and address. But I thought I had to pay annually to keep it activated. Now I've found that shelters and adoption agencies microchip pets for you and some will just put your name on as owner as part of the adoption. My niece once found a dog with a chip and they contacted the registered owners who said "we got rid of that dog years ago"....so it is really just that you need to keep your contact information up to date, if you move or change your phone number make sure they get the new info. If my cat was gone I would personally be doing everything I could to find her and not leave it up to some company, so I don't need the bells and whistles service.

LTS3 · Sep 23, 2016

So I had Leroy microchipped today because the vet hospital was offering a free microchip with a full exam. It's a Home Again microchip. Emma already has a chip and is registered with Home Again. I'm trying to add Leroy to my Home Again account right now and it's asking for the one year $19.95 fee

Looks like you can't just add more pets to your account (or set up a an entirely new account) without paying for the one year membership

Emma's Home Aagin info was transferred to me by the rescue so I didn't have to pay the one year membership.

The hospital did do the initial registration of Lero's chip with my contact info so I don't need to worry about that.

So bare basic Home Again service is free.... AFTER you pay the initial $19.95 one year membership to get an online account set up or add more pets and all the extra services offered. After that, the membership is completely optional. Your pet's microchip and contact info remains in the Home Again database for the entire life of your pet.

If you don't need or want an online account to manage your contact info, you can probably just call Home Again and have your contact info updated that way at no cost.

Edit: If you already have an account, you can disable the auto membership renewal. Just found that option while checking my account info.

Margret · Sep 23, 2016

Originally Posted by LTS3

---SNIP---

If you don't need or want an online account to manage your contact info, you can probably just call Home Again and have your contact info updated that way at no cost.

---SNIP---

No probably about it. This is how I have updated my information, both when we got a new vet and when I got a new cell phone number. And yes, it was free to do it this way.

Margret

crazy4strays · Jan 23, 2017

Interesting thread.

I've gotten all my cats microchipped at Tractor Supply Company vet clinic. They use Datamars chips and register you with Found Animals Registry. The chips that they use are the same ones that our local Humane Society uses.

All I paid was the initial fee to have the cats chipped. My first two were $15 each for their chips. I got them done in 2015.

My newest kitty was $18 plus sales tax, so $19.08 altogether.

The cost of chipping is all that you ever pay when going to the vet clinics. They actually register the animal on your behalf when you submit paperwork at chipping, but I wanted to accelerate the process so I logged into my Found Animals account. They had an option called "Add a Pet." I clicked the button, filled out the details on my new cat, uploaded a picture of him, and hit "submit."

Couldn't be easier.

I looked into chipping my 3rd cat at my vet's, but my adopted cat was already neutered and up to date on shots. It's not cost effective to take a cat to the vet just for chipping. The vet would charge me an office call ($18) plus the chip ($50). Plus, if I got a HomeAgain chip, now I have multiple places to manage and update. I wouldn't have paid $68 for the chip, unless there were no other options.

Getting my 3rd his chip at the vet clinic was cheap and easy and all my cats can be updated at the same place.

I think that making microchipping complicated or expensive, simply lowers the microchipping rates. My vet administers local anesthesia before microchipping. To me, that just seems like unnecessary overkill. All of my cats tolerated chipping very well.

When I tell local people about the vet clinic, they're usually surprised that chipping can be that cheap or easy.

Home Again microchip "Annual Fee"

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How much does HomeAgain membership cost pet owners?

If pet owners decide not to renew their annual membership, will their pets’ microchip ID codes and information still remain in the HomeAgain database?

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How much does HomeAgain membership cost pet owners?

If pet owners decide not to renew their annual membership, will their pets’ microchip ID codes and information still remain in the HomeAgain database?

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