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Micro Chip

1K views 10 replies 10 participants last post by  AZLAB 
#1 ·
Howdy all!

Liza is my first purebred dog, so I don't know much about this ... but ...

The papers from the shelter said she was micro-chipped, but the vet couldn't detect any such. My subsequent research found that there is no uniformity in this matter ... one reader might not detect another's chip.

Our local shelter has very strict rules: They hold the dog for 2 weeks, then up for adoption, and no looking back, period, regardless of micro-chips.

Well, Liza's been with us for 6 months. She's very happy here. She doesn't seem to pine for a former life.

So, what do y'all know about this?

Dave
 
#2 ·
I think it depends on what type of chip they have. I think there are 2 companies. Home Again and Avid. The last I knew is if they scan with a Home Again scanner it will not pick up on the Avid micro-chip. Also if for some reason the chip has moved then it might be picked up either. I believe our shelter has both scanners. Unfortunately these two companies didn't work together and make a scanner that will locate any microchip to ensure a safe return home.
 
#3 ·
It's scary to think that she was micro chipped for a safe return yet it didn't work. However, you have had her for 6 months and she's happy with you so I wouldn't sweat it. I would however chip her with your vet. It's something, not always fool proof but better than nothing.
 
#4 ·
What an evil thing ...

Well, I've been happy for several months that Liza doesn't seem to have any former home to go to. We love her so much!

But it's a bummer that the micro-chip thing isn't uniform. I would certainly want her to be returned here, if she got to wandering ... and I think she would, too. She seems very, very happy here ... my household has been overly dog-friendly for like 20 years.

So, how do we get together to support some kind of uniform micro-chipping? It's really a no-benefit expense unless it's universal. Hence the former-folks of Liza.

Of course, I don't think they wanted her back. They had 2 weeks to make inquires, and didn't do so. I suspect she was a trophy dog, to go along with a trophy house, that somebody couldn't afford in the present economy.

She's safe here ... we don't let dogs go, period.
 
#6 ·
Just curious - if the shelter said she was chipped when she came in, did they make an attempt to contact her former owners? You seem to be a little uncertain whether the former owners were aware of her situation in the shelter.

I think most shelters have a scanner like Labby's that will read AVID and Home Again. I think 99.9% of the microchipped population has one or the other of those.

Chips can also slip. Simon's is down low on his left shoulder now. Vet may have missed it.
 
#7 · (Edited)
If the shelter says she was chipped, then they either found the original chip or just made a mistake on her form. If they found the original chip, I believe the procedure is to contact the information on file with the chip company, otherwise, why would the shelter even bother to scan the strays that come in? They'd wait to scan them when potential owners came in. It's possible previous owners did not update their info with their chip people so the shelter/Avid/Home Again couldn't find them.

I wouldn't worry about the fact that she had a chip and it didn't work for her owners.

I would run her back into the shelter again and have them scan her in front of you and see if they find it and where - then you can take her back to your vet and try again. Like Connie said, maybe it slipped. Regardless you need to get YOUR information on a chip in her somewhere. I don't know how you do that with a previously chipped, unclaimed stray. Can you update the old information? Or do you have to get a new one? If so, can you wipe information from the old one? I really don't know.

Every annual checkup our vets check our chips.
 
#9 ·
Like others have said, I would be back to the shelter and ask them to scan for a chip while you are there. And if successful, then tell you what brand chip it is.

All the vets I know here, 4 of them, wither have a universal scanner or one of each. I know our animal control people carry universal scanners in their vehicles. They find it easier to return the dogs directly to their owners and avoid the trip to the kennels.

Good luck. Worst case is that you find out the dog is not chipped, and then you have to chip him so he/she can be returned to you if he gets lost.
 
#11 ·
I suspect the shelter probably chipped her when she was adopted by them. I would take her in and get her checked.
If the vet cannot find the chip it may have moved. Cierra has two chips she came from the Humane Society. The first one they put in and a couple months later the vet checked for it and couldn't find it. SIL called Humane Society who had them bring Cierra in. They found the chip but it was way down her back and off to one side so they put in another one because the 1st one could be missed. SIL had it check a few months later and it is right in the neck area where you would expect to find it.
 
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