Question for those who have microchipped your dogs...

[smiles33]

I brought our terrier mix into a new vet and when they scanned his chip (by HomeAgain), it pulled up his microchip number but they didn't have any info on him in their AVID system. This is because our old vet had us register with AKC's database and not AVID. FYI, our old vet is only 20 minutes' drive from our new house and the local animal shelter serves a 3 city area, so we're still in the same animal sheltor's coverage area.

So I called AVID and asked why they didn't have our info and they told me it was a separate database. They wanted to charge me another fee to register with them. I already paid $60 the first time to get his microchip and register him and would prefer not spending more money, so I deferred to do more research. Who knows how many registration companies are out there?

I then contacted our local animal shelter to ask what database they use (since this is the most likely place he'd end up if he ever escaped) and got this response:

"I received your e-mail with questions regarding microchips. it is my understanding that AVID and the AKC's recovery system are linked.
The scanners we use at the shelter are universal and can read almost
all microchips. We then research the number with the local databases.
The numbers are usually specific to the microchip company so we can
identify their source. This is the number we have for the AVID database 1-800-336-2843."

Based on what AVID told me, their databases are not linked. Obviously, if the local shelter can't find our info after scanning him in their AVID database, it doesn't matter if the dog's chipped. Argh!

So my question to all of you is, which company did you register your dog's chip with? Did you register with more than 1 company?

[gayle]

Wow, this got me thinking, I am not sure who Sunny is Registered with. I know that AKC has her chip number, but other than that, I have no clue. I will call my vet on Tuesday and find out for you. Not that it will help as we have not moved, but ast least we can find out if it's another registering agency.

[jesvet]

I thought HomeAgain had their own database since they were a competitor with Avid.

If a shelter comes up with a number, they should be able to track down the owner; there are only a few databases. I found a dog in my neighborhood who was chipped; I called AVID and they told me based on the number on the collar tag it was a Home Again chip, and gave me their phone number. I don't *think* the shelters have direct access to a database, but I might be wrong; but AVID chips and HA chips each begin with a identifiable sequence (like credit cards) so they WILL be able to track you down regardless of the database you are registered with.

[smiles33]

Hi ladies!

I forgot to mention that we're actually not registered with HA, even though it's an HA chip. I really don't know why our old vet told us to register with AKC. I just filled out the paperwork he gave us, as I didn't know HA had its own database. At the very least, I'm thinking of registering with HA, since it's the most likely database a shelter or vet would search after identifying that he has an HA chip.

*sigh* Wish I had known this in the beginning and avoided the AKC fee!

It also feels better to vent a bit here, as it wasn't very reassuring that the animal shelter staffer didn't know the answer to my question. It makes me nervous. My boy has a tendency to run when doors are open (or at least he used to in the beginning when we first adopted him) so we always put him into a sit/stay before opening a door and watch him like a hawk. Still, it worries me that he might one day escape.

[jesvet]

So I was curious and poked around myself. The AKC website seems to state the purpose of their microchip registry is for identification purposes pertaining to pedigrees and breeding; I would assume lost pet recovery is less of something they do.

But then I went to www.homeagainid.com and it said you can enroll online with Home Again- and it specifically mentioned people with an AKC enrollment. So maybe they have some sort of agreement? Worth checking out.

[SingleWhiteFemale]

Bernie is registered with AVID. There wasn't an AKC option that I knew of--he is a purebred Saint Bernard, but I don't have papers to prove it (he was an abandoned rescue). His rescue chipped him, and registered him and that chip in their name, with the information. I had to pay, I believe it was $20, to change the information into my name. From the AVID website:All AVID® microchip numbers are documented in our private database (when sold) for the protection of our customers.Q: How many brands of chips are there? Can shelters read the AVID® chip?

A: Microchips operate by sending and receiving radiowave signals. Therefore they function at a particular frequency. In the United States the accepted and used radiowave frequency is 125 kHz. The chips most commonly used in the United States companion animal industry are AVID® and HomeAgain™. Shelters know and trust these microchip companies to provide fast recovery services for lost pets.

In the mid 90's, shelter groups asked microchip companies to provide shelters with a "universal" scanner that could read both chips. Since then, rescue groups, shelters and humane societies can use a single scanner to detect any 125 kHz microchip.

[MamaBear]

While it is true that the scanners are universal, the databases are separate. We scanned a dog with our Avid scanner, called Avid and they told us it was a Home Again chip and gave us the number. Avid does not have the Home Again info in their database. I have seen the registration form for Home Again and it does say AKC on it. I believe that they have some sort of agreement (although I know that some vets and shelters do use Home Again).
Whatever company you register with, make sure that you do it. If you do not and your pet gets scanned, the info that comes back is the shelter or vet that the chip was originally sold to. While most vets keep track of the microchips and who the pets are, I am not sure about the shelters tracking methods.

[smiles33]

Thanks for the tip, jesvet. I just registered my boy on the HA website for FREE! Oops, I must have not seen that reference to AKC when I briefly skimmed over the site earlier.

I find it funny that AKC's main purpose is not to track dogs but more aligned with their promotion of purebreds, since our boy is definitely NOT a purebred! Some say he looks like a Jack Russell but his coloring and hair is more like a wire-haired terrier. And he's got a long body like a daschund but not the ears.

There was a COACH ad that had a dog in one of the handbags that looked like my dog, but I can't find it online.

Here are 2 old photos of Scrappy, since I can't resist posting after having talked about him (it didn't seem as relevant before when I was just talking about microchips!):


http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3d905b3127cce9e19d8dbb14b00000016108EbNHDRu5Zk

http://im1.shutterfly.com/procserv/47b3d905b3127cce9e19d8d8307800000016108EbNHDRu5Zk

[jesvet]

Whatever he is, he's stinking cute!!!

[Katy]

What a cutie! I just wanted to chime in with our experience. Our guy ran away from my FIL's while we were on out honeymoon :eek: We had every bit of information, plus more, in our system (including FIL's info). I was livid that no one called any of the FOUR other numbers on his file. Then I called HA and they told me no one accessed his file in the database.

Turns out the pound had an AVID system and could only call in to get our HA info. They were ONLY given our phone number and home address. They went on to say to me that when they call the system, that's all info they receive first time around. If they don't hear anything in 10 days, then they can additional information.

This all scared the hell out of us. If there's a way to pay and get into both systems, then sign me up! After having experienced all that, I'd only think it would be worth it. So Jesvet, can that be done? Can one pay to regiister one chip with both databases?

[smiles33]

Thanks, jesvet and Katy.

Katy, your story illustrates why I wondered if I needed to register with more companies! I just skimmed through the FAQ but don't see anything about registering non-AVID chips there. But I was told by AVID when I called them that they can register a HA chip, you just have to pay the fee (though I forgot how much it is).

Here's their number: (800) 336-2843

[jesvet]

Hmmm, good to know you can register HA chips in the AVID system. I didn't know that.

I know AVID is kind of expensive- don't they charge when you change your address? Oh well, I guess every layer of assurance helps.

smiles- You said HA would only give out the phone number and address for the first call. What other info would they need? Do you know if HA then contacts you as well to tell if your pet has been found somewhere?

This is a very informative thread for me. :D I should add those numbers to the resources thread.

PSA: FWIW, as an aside, after following the false advertising lawsuits brought against AVID, I learned that a lot of shelters never scan incoming dogs; why, I don't know, but *if* your pup should get separated from you, make sure to check the shelters In Person even if they say they don't have your dog. There have been cases of microchipped dogs whose owners were waiting for a call being euthanized at shelters. A microchip is one more layer of security in getting your dog back to you but is unfortunately not a guarantee.

[SingleWhiteFemale]

don't they charge when you change your address? ]Yep! It's either $15 or $20 per time, the only time they'll change it free of charge is if they made an error.

[Sabriel]

I have seen the registration form for Home Again and it does say AKC on it. I believe that they have some sort of agreement

Home Again and the AKC used to work together, but now they are entirely separate. It used to be that Home Again made the microchips, and the animals were registered with the AKC database. In the last several months, Home Again and the AKC have split up. Home Again now has their own database for their own microchips. The AKC is now advertising themselves as a database that you can register any type of microchip with. If your animal was microchipped and registered prior to the split-up, then BOTH registeries have your pets information.

Hope that helps! I think that they like to keep people confused. ;) Microchips are wonderful, though. I work for a vet, and just last week we were able to return 3 dogs to their homes because they were microchipped! :D

[Katy]

Sabriel, would that count for mutts as well, or only purebreeds?

[camberne]

I thought that when I had my cats microchipped (still waiting on doing the dog, who needs it more than the cats... but I want to get his teeth done at the same time and can't afford it yet), that the registration was included in the fee. The vet did Peanut and gave me all the paperwork and the SPCA did Olivia and gave me all the paperwork. A month after we brought Olivia home, I got a confirmation from Avid that Olivia was registered. I never received a confirmation for Peanut. Turns out, the vet never registered Peanut!! I have to send a form and the registration fee to them for Peanut to get registered. Good to know now and not when he got out of the house!!

[Sherb]

smiles: we have dog twins. Just take a look at my avatar. I'll try to find more pics with his "beard" trimmed.

ETA: Don't have any better pics right now because even though my DH has a digital camera (with tons of pics of Sherbert) he no longer has the software installed on either of the computers that we own nor does he still have the cd-rom that came with the camera. Why? Because he installed the program and then threw the disc away because otherwise he would have had to keep up with the disc when he moved several times. :confused:

[Sabriel]

would that count for mutts as well, or only purebreeds?

Counts for mutts too! :) We were assured by both registeries that ALL information from animals that were registered prior to the "break-up" would forever be in both registeries, including purebred and mixed breed dogs and cats.

[katiadarling]

Lest people think about not microchipping their dog because shelters "aren't scanning dogs when they come in." I work at a shelter and not only do we scan the dog when it comes in, we also scan it again after the stray wait (five days to see if the owner gets it, then it becomes ours).
I would make sure that your information is up-to-date with the company. We've had some cases where we have a chip number, but the information isn't correct and we don't have any other way of reaching the owners. In the case that an animal is too fractious to be scanned whilst awake, after the stay wait we will sedate it and then scan in (and then euthanize it... but that's another pot of tea entirely).

camberne As an aside. When we were first talking to our vet about microchipping they told us to do it while Marley was "put-under" for another surgery, or have him put under just for microchipping. But we microchip dogs all the time without putting them out. It's very fast and easy, so if that's what's holding you back, I'd go ahead and get it done. Believe me, if your dog were to run, you'd thank yourself.