Microchipping - Page 2

So, just so I understand correctly, you scan the cat and if it has a microchip, no matter what company it came from, the scanner can still read the number? If you happened to find my cat, you could scan her and find out that she belongs to me?

So really, you wouldn't need to be registered with different companies then if you can find out the company who has the info from the number. Right? (no? I'm clueless, and curious. thanks!)

Yes, the scanner can read any number and each chip company uses a different sequence of numbers / letters - however if you move from the EU to North America, the chips are different. That is as long as they have a universal scanner (I havent come across places that do not have universals, but have heard of stories of animals with microchips being adopted out when they couldnt read it) - they work on different frequencies but the chip companies give you universal readers for free so there is no reason you should not be using them.

So we scan the reader over the back of your animal, it beeps, comes up with a number - we call that into our microchip company as its the biggest one around here and many people will register other chips with it too. If they do not have it, they will say this chip belongs to AVID, HomeAgain etc, here is their number and we call them and they look it up in their system.

Most microchip companies will give you a few options on how you want your information released:

1. When we call the microchip company, they call you for us and do not release any information, they call us back with a reference # saying they spoke to you and you give us that reference # when you pick up the animal so we know it is yours

2. They give us your contact information as well as a listed emergency contact's phone

3. You can choose to allow #2 only for shelters or vets and not for private individuals who may have come in to have an animal scanned and call themselves, in which case #1 applies to individuals and #2 to shelters or vets

As a backup, many companies will keep the shelter/vet who bought the chip as a 3rd contact person and ask us to search our files for a number if they can not contact the owner or emergency contact.

I have my cats registered with 24PetWatch as well as the individual companies their chips came from (I have three with 24PetWatch chips, one with a PetNet and one with Avid) - I know pretty much everyone here calls PetWatch first and its a free registration so is just easier for the person who found them. But they would still be found when the person called the second company

Depends where they are microchipped, some places do it on the left side of the neck towards the shoulder and if it isnt a cat / dog the microchips can be in various other places

Is there any way to check if it's required by law in your state to have your pet microchipped? My boyfriend doesn't like the idea for some reason, and would rather not have it done if he gets a kitten. Also, if it isn't required in my state, is there a way to clear the microchip? Like say, if they do it anyway, or if he adopts one that is already microchipped, is there a way to go online and clear your information associated with the chip?

I'm a HUGE fan of the microchip. My cats are indoor only cats but they are all chipped, along with both my dogs. I wish states would require it, just like rabies vaccine. I work at an emergency vet hospital and on a weekly basis we get animal control bringing in animals that were hit by cars or other injuries and I always run for the scanner. Sadly enough in the 4 yrs that I've been working at the emergency hospital not a SINGLE animal that AC brought in and I have worked on has ever been chipped.

I know Home Again microchip is a $15 a yr for "service". Avid was like $45 for implant and life time service.

Need even more convincing....here is an awesome story
http://www.dnainfo.com/20100811/harl...ver-year-later

All three of my kitties came from the shelter already microchipped. My dogs (that live with my in-laws) I had chipped. The dogs were microchipped through a rescue organization and the cost was pretty low, $20.

My kitties are indoor only cats unless I take them out on a harness, in addition to the microchips they also wear break-away collars with identification. I figure it's better to be safe than sorry. You never know when someone might slip out.

Alright.. well that didn't answer my question.

I would contact your local animal control offices and ask them about your state laws. If the pet is already microchipped why would you not want to just put your info in case your kitty ever gets out? We have had a few indoor only kitties get outside some way or another and it has been horrible trying to find them! Why is your boyfriend against it?
My boys will be getting new tags and collars this week and we will be going to get chipped as soon as I find a vet I like here!

He's always seemingly leery about having his information "data-based" - such as, he doesn't give out his email or phone number on any type of form if he doesn't have to. It's not something I'd even say I understand... but I showed him some cute kittens, and he liked them, but said "But they're chipped" - I don't think, when it comes down to it, that if he really liked the cat he would refuse to get it because of the chip, but he's made clear that he doesn't like that the cats are 1. being inserted with something equal to that of a bar code, and 2. that his information is stored within a cat. He probably just finds it odd, which it kind of is - but I definitely see the benefits of it. If anyone were to ask me, I'd even say microchips - health-wise - are less harmful than vaccines [for indoor cats]. I'd be more afraid of future health issues in a cat who's been vaccinated frequently than a cat who's chipped, mainly based on the fact that I've had a cat get cancer from shots before.

Anyway, he's just picky about random things that I don't completely understand, so I can't change his mind.

All that is stored on a chip is a number. The equivalent of a license number, or VIN on your car. He has one of those, right? Your contact information is maintained by the chip company. The value? Every so often, we have a cat or dog come in the shelter that's chipped. When we get the contact information, it's not unusual that the owner didn't even know the animal was missing yet.

The flip side is that we regularly get beautiful animals that were clearly someone's pet--clean, brushed, healthy, etc.--and no way to contact the owners who may just assume the animal was run over, or stolen, and never think to check with the shelter.

And just FYI...your boyfriend probably knows this, but it's not that hard for someone to get all the information about him, if they want it.

IMO, there's no reason in the world not to have your pet micro-chipped - in my area, the shelters, vets and police stations are able to scan for a chip - and, as mentioned, the chip company has the owner information.

If you wonder about possible health issues, ask your vet - I believe 99.9% of vets will say the benefits outweight the miniscule health risk. Some people have quasi-theological/political reasons against chipping - again, for your own pet, you have to ask yourself if your responsibilities as a pet parent outweigh any non-health-related conceptual issues you may encounter.

My two were chipped by the shelter - both of them were found as adult strays (declawed, no less, so you know they had families). But neither were chipped so their original owners had neither the pet returned nor closure. Their loss, I'd say.

If it bugs him that much, he can put the number of a "burn phone" on the microchip account, no other info. Just so they can call you if the cat is found. There doesn't have to be any actual personal info on the account at all.

My cats aren't chipped. The dogs are. I'm told the local shelter doesn't scan for chips in cats (I was actually told many shelters don't scan cats), so it seems there's no point. I'll probably have it done someday, maybe take a few cats in the next time the shelter has a microchip event, but if they don't scan cats I don't know why they even offer microchipping for them at all.

I like the idea of just a phone number - as long as it's one that is always checked. I live in a metro area - so the chips are always scanned at shelters, vets and the police stations - but maybe more rural areas don't do that as much.

Just don't let boyfriend watch any old X-Files or Dark Angel episodes about bar codes and implants before discussing chips.

2 are 2 are not ... after talking with my vet and pouring over lots of data , the two without will not get them...

Since I travel and leave the babies with a sitter, also considering I am sitting at the Tornado Alley, I have been seriously considering doing it. In fact I think it is just a matter of time - meaning: next trip to the vet

Check around at your local shelter, etc., to see if there is a low-cost microchip program. We do it at our shelter on a regular basis for...I think $15. I believe my vet charged $60 for Punkin and Sterling, before the shelter started doing it.

We check ALL animals, even guinea pigs, rabits, etc. Maybe not turtles...

Hehe, I think the reason they microchip turtles/tortoises is to prove ownership in case of theft, not necessarily in case of loss, although I'm sure it might help in some cases. But some species of tortoise are extremely valuable, so they need some way to prove ownership. I'm glad your shelter does scan everyone.

That's a good idea, if he's afraid of including personal information. You can buy "pay as you go" (aka 'disposable') cell phones very inexpensively, and you don't have to carry or use it unless your cat is missing. The cell phone is not on a plan so they don't have any information about you.
Or if there is a relative like a parent whose info you can put (if they don't mind their info being in the database) that could work also.

Personally all my cats are microchipped, and my dog is microchipped and tattooed (the breeder tattooed her litter when they were babies.) I want as much a chance as possible for my pets to be reunited with me if we were somehow separated, so they also wear collars with my phone number embroidered on them.