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Millions of pet owners rely on microchips to help reunite them with lost pets, but a sudden shutdown by one pet microchip company has left many scrambling for alternatives. Save This Life, a well-known pet tracking service has reportedly gone out of business, making it impossible for pet owners and shelters to access chip data.
Why Microchips Are Essential for Pet Safety
Microchips, about the size of a grain of rice, are embedded under a pet’s skin between the shoulder blades. When scanned, they display a 15-digit identification number linked to the owner’s contact details in a registry. Veterinarians and shelters commonly use microchips to reunite lost pets with their families. However, with Save This Life shutting down, affected pets may no longer be tracked through their database.
What Happens If Your Pet’s Microchip Is Affected?
According to Jesika Streeter, deputy director at the Norfolk SPCA, microchips from Save This Life are now effectively useless in identifying pet owners. “It would ring as there is a chip in them, but it doesn’t have the data, so it doesn’t tell us anything about the ownership of the animal,” Streeter explained.
Pet owners who previously used Save This Life must take immediate steps to ensure their pet’s safety by re-registering the microchip with another company.
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How to Re-Register Your Pet’s Microchip
If your pet’s microchip was registered with Save This Life, you will need to find the 15-digit microchip ID number and transfer it to another registry. Some pet chip databases offer free registration services, while others charge a nominal fee. Here are some recommended microchip registries:
- Free Pet Chip Registry – Free registration for all microchip numbers.
- 911 Pet Chip – Nationwide pet recovery service with free and paid options.
- ID Tag – Offers lifetime registration and pet recovery services.
How to Find Your Pet’s Microchip Number
If you’re unsure which company manages your pet’s chip, visit your local veterinarian or animal shelter. Most facilities will scan your pet for free and provide the microchip number. You can then search for the number in an online database like AAHA’s Universal Pet Microchip Lookup to determine its original registration company.
Alternative Pet Identification Methods
While microchips are a reliable way to identify lost pets, additional measures can further increase your chances of being reunited with your furry friend. Streeter suggests using QR code pet tags, which store owner information and can be scanned with a smartphone.
QR pet tags are widely available on platforms like Amazon, PetSmart, and Chewy. These tags provide immediate access to contact information, eliminating the need for a database lookup.
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Microchips Still Save Lives
Despite the uncertainty surrounding Save This Life’s shutdown, microchips remain one of the best ways to reunite lost pets with their owners. “We had a story of a cat that came in for surgery, actually, and they were chipped. They ended up being missing from Ohio for about seven months before they were reunited with their family,” Streeter shared.
Pet owners affected by this closure should act quickly to update their pet’s microchip information. Ensuring that your pet’s microchip is registered with a functional database can make all the difference in the event of an emergency.
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