Microchips are supposed to be permanent protection.
But when a microchip company shuts down, that protection can unravel fast.
That is the reality facing thousands of pet owners after Texas-based Save This Life abruptly ceased operations. The company’s registry — the database linking chip numbers to owner contact information — went dark. For many families, that meant their pet’s chip could scan, but lead nowhere.
When A Microchip Still Scans But Leads Nowhere
Microchips are small, rice-sized radio frequency identification devices implanted under the skin. They are not GPS trackers. They activate only when scanned at a shelter or veterinary clinic, USA Today reports. If the registry tied to that number has accurate information, staff can contact the owner.
But that depends entirely on the database being active.
When Save This Life closed, its registration records became inaccessible. “Any microchip that was registered with Save This Life is no longer registered,” Miriam Laibson, Microchip Registry Director at 24PetWatch, told WKRC.
She noted that the shutdown happened with little notice to pet owners or shelters.
In Cincinnati, shelter workers discovered dozens of dogs carrying those chips. About half were reclaimed. Others remained unclaimed or were adopted out, according to WKRC.
Confusion Spreads Nationwide
The closure left phone lines disconnected and emails unanswered. Official Texas records listed the company’s status as “Franchise Tax Involuntarily Ended,” USA Today reports.
Animal welfare groups quickly sounded the alarm.
“The closure of this company is really concerning for us,” Dan Cody, Executive Director of Humane Animal Rescue of Pittsburgh, told CBS News Pittsburgh. “We want to make sure that everybody has a microchip in their pet and that it’s actively registered with the database.”
Cody said shelters had trouble reaching the company even before its shutdown became public.
How To Check If Your Pet Is Protected
The good news: the chip itself still works.
Microchips carry a unique ID number. That number can be registered in more than one database, Brian Lippai of the Ocean County Health Department explains on USA Today. Pet parents do not need to implant a new chip. They can re-register the existing one.
The first step is a scan. Owners can visit a veterinarian, shelter, or even a local police department to retrieve the chip number, Cody told CBS News Pittsburgh.
Then use the American Animal Hospital Association’s Universal Microchip Lookup Tool. When Save This Life searches began failing, AAHA removed the company from its system.
“After continued search failures, we made the decision to disconnect them from the AAHA search tool,” Chief Value Officer Keith Chamberlain told AAHA.
AAHA advises owners to contact their veterinarian to determine whether re-registration is needed.
Registration Is Not Automatic
Microchipping costs between $25 and $50, according to the American Animal Hospital Association, USA Today reports. But the chip is only as effective as the information attached to it.
And not every chip is registered. The AVMA maintains that only six out of ten microchipped pets are registered, USA Today reports.
A lost pet is already a crisis. A dead registry makes it worse.
Check the chip, confirm the company, and update your contact details. Because when a shelter scans your pet, the database still has to answer.
