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<DIV>Hi Jessica - </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Microchipping is something that's now law in Los Angeles (and most areas of
California) so thought I'd share what we know about microchips - maybe an ABC of
past history with Microchips.... depending on which type of chip you have this
may reassure you - or not. Education on chips is key however, so I'll
share...</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>For many years there were varying chips, Home Again, Avid, EZ Pet,
Lambriar, AKC as well as several others. The problem in those days was
this; Avid made a universal scanner but the chip was more expensive for the vets
to buy so they bought and implanted Home Again. Home Again's scanner was
not universal and only reads Home Again chips. However; Avids scanner
reads ALL chips.</DIV>
<DIV>Approx. 3 years ago a new chip came into play thru Banfield Vets
which was on a UK frequency and NO scanners could read them with the exception
of a UK scanner - which no one had. </DIV>
<DIV>A big to do was had during which time the AKC and Home Again chip services
merged and in the merge accidentally dumped their database, thus any chips
registered during that time frame became obsolete with the exception of being
able to track the implanter (Original purchaser), who in most cases maintains
their own database - or is supposed to.</DIV>
<DIV>Lambriar chips were not transferable and could only be tracked to the
puppymiller and broker who had sold the canine, but not to the new owner, unless
one was lucky enough to find out what pet store the pup was sold to, that
pet store was still in business, and had traceable records, and the purchaser
had never moved etc.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Cut to today.</DIV>
<DIV>Most vets and all shelters now have universal scanners, smaller vets
may not have paid the $80.00 to upgrade their scanner but every vet we deal with
have universal scanners in house, as do animal control and most rescue
groups.</DIV>
<DIV>Home Again now forces owners to register yearly (it is my opinion that they
are still having database problems and don't want to acknowledge it openly...
Meow.).</DIV>
<DIV>Avid now accepts registry of ALL chips (including Lambriar) and tracks
them (with a fairly decent type of accuracy - their data entry is slow, but it
seems to be getting better finally).</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>So, I think maybe who ever scanned your furkid and had a hard time,
might not do a lot of scanning, or was using an old scanner - I can tell you if
a battery is low in a scanner it will miss a chip so its important to keep fresh
batteries handy at all times.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>When an animal shelter finds a canine here, they scan in and out.</DIV>
<DIV>If a chip is not found at intake, its found at exit or prior to
euthanasia - when a chip is found, the registry is called.</DIV>
<DIV>If they have no info they ask who the implanter is, and then call the
implanter. The implanter gives their database information and a
certified letter has to be sent to the owner of record, giving the hounds a
"stay of execution" for at least 10 days (depends on the shelter, the area,
etc). </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>The moral to the story is this:</DIV>
<DIV>Make sure you KNOW your hounds microchip number.</DIV>
<DIV>Make sure whomever the implanter was has their database current, and is
still in business.</DIV>
<DIV>Make sure your data stays current with the registry company.</DIV>
<DIV>Make sure your local shelter has a universal scanner (Most shelters get
them donated by the manufacturers -If they don't - maybe donate one!), and
maybe donate batteries to them every now and then <g>.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Here in rescue we are very PRO microchips. They are not
infallible. But they ARE saving hundreds of lives every single
day. Most of us would not leave home without a scanner.</DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV>Dawn of the West</DIV>
<DIV>Microchipping and then some....</DIV>
<DIV>Daphneyland</DIV>
<DIV><A
href="http://www.barniatdaphneyland.org">www.barniatdaphneyland.org</A></DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
<DIV> </DIV>
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