Reviewed by: Caleb Turrentine
Pet microchips at risk—What you need to know after major company closure
Reading time: 2 minutes
Texas-based pet microchip service Save This Life closed abruptly this week, leaving thousands of pet microchips untraceable without notice, according to the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA).
Microchips are tiny RFID (radio frequency identification) devices implanted in dogs and cats, as explained by the American Veterinary Medical Association. Pet owners can link their contact information to a database associated with their pet’s microchip, making it an essential tool for reuniting lost cats or dogs with their owners.
Keep reading to discover the steps you can take to check if your pet’s microchip status is at risk + how to protect their safety.
Next steps: How to Verify Your Pet’s Microchip Registration
Although an inactive microchip is not physically harmful, it can prevent successful identification, tracking and reunification.
According to AAHA, pet owners should act quickly to ensure their pet is registered with a trusted provider by following these steps:
- Get your pet scanned at their local veterinary practice
- Once you have the microchip number, it can be searched on AAHA’s Microchip Registry Lookup tool
- Get help from your veterinarian to register with a new provider if necessary
For more information, visit the American Animal Hospital Association website + contact your local veterinary practice.
Save This Life shutdown: Sudden + unexplained
According to AAHA, the reason behind the company’s abrupt closure is unclear.
The Texas Secretary of State’s website shows the company’s registration status as inactive and indicates that the company has lost its right to operate in Texas because its “Franchise Tax Involuntarily Ended.”
According to the Secretary of State’s site and as reported by AAHA, this means the company’s registration or certificate was terminated due to a tax forfeiture or an administrative forfeiture by the Texas Secretary of State.
Additionally, AAHA reports that Save This Life’s customer service number appears to be out of service.
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