Are your pet’s microchip details up to date?

If you are not sure, PLEASE #checkthechip!

Dog theft is at an all time high but over the past couple of weeks, police raids have recovered hundreds of stolen animals.

However, a large proportion are still not back with their families because their microchip details are not up to date!

When a pet is found and scanned for a chip, if one is present a unique number appears on the scanner. This is held in an online database, alongside the owner’s contact details.

But if these are out-of-date or the owner never registered the chip, there is no way of getting in touch with them! The chip only holds the number, no actual contact information.

To check your dog’s chip details, simply log-in to the database they are registered with and have a look. And while you are there, even if the information is current, add in some more! Put in family numbers, email addresses and even work details.

Make it so if your pet is ever lost or stolen, anyone scanning them can easily contact you or someone who knows you.

If you are not sure where you are registered, input the number into any chip website and if it isn’t with them, they should direct you to the right one.

If you don’t know your dog’s chip number at all, ask your local vet to scan them for you.

It does make me wonder if stolen dogs who are found dumped, have actually been abandoned because the thieves have checked the databases (registered implanters can have access), realised that the animals could be traced and so are not an easy steal for them.

So, are your dog’s details up to date?

(Photo by Hyunwon Jang on Unsplash & edited by me)

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