In the United States, owners of domestic animals who used the now-defunct chip service Save This Life are being advised to re-register their pet’s microchip.
The Austin-based business has not operated since early last week, according to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA), which cited Texas Secretary of State corporate data.
How do pet microchips operate and what are they?
Pet microchips are inserted beneath the skin of animals like dogs and cats and are around the size of a grain of rice, according to the American Veterinary Medical Association (AVMA).
An identification number stored on the microchips enables pet owners to find their missing animals.
The ID number of a stray animal can be determined by scanning its chip when it is picked up.
As long as the chip is connected to one of the numerous pet registration systems in the United States, this number is then used to search for the contact details of its owners.
According to the AVMA, studies have indicated that dogs with microchips have twice the chance of successfully reuniting with their owners. According to the organization, “the difference in return rates was even more dramatic for stray cats.”
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Owner information is no longer connected to Save This Life chips
However, Save The Life’s closure means that any owner search that uses the ID number on the provider’s microchips would now return a blank, according to the AAHA.
Additionally, attempts to get in touch with Save This Life have been met with radio silence, according to USA Today.
“When will Save This Life make a statement addressing the fact that they have been unresponsive to pet owners, shelters, and rescues trying to reunite pets?” the news source cited a social media user who posted on the company’s Instagram page.
There is no way to contact someone or report a pet spotted on your website, despite the website still claiming that help is available around-the-clock.
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How to determine whether your pet is impacted and what to do about it
When it comes to re-registering their animal to a microchip database, owners of animals with microchips supplied by Save This Life have several options.
PetLink, HomeAgain, and the Free Registry Service are among the choices listed by Tribeca Soho Animal Hospital in New York.
You should verify your pet’s microchip ID number if you are unsure if it is impacted by the Save This Life shutdown. “You have one of the Save This Life microchips if your pet’s microchip number begins with either 991 or 900164,” according to Tribeca Vets.
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