LET’S TALK ABOUT IT: THE CLOSURE OF SAVE THIS LIFE MICROCHIP COMPANY

Over this past weekend, social media was flooded with alerts about ‘Save This Life’, a pet microchip company that suddenly ceased operations. As a result, their database is no longer accessible, meaning microchips registered with ‘Save This Life’ will not provide owner information when scanned. This situation has raised concerns about the traceability of pets registered with this company.

If your pet was registered through Napa Humane or the Napa County Animal Shelter, you can rest easily, knowing that your pet’s microchip is supported via 24PetWatch and HomeAgain databases, which each organization uses, respectively.

One of Napa Humane’s staff members had a pet with a ‘Save This Life’ microchip. That pet was adopted from a Bay Area animal shelter approximately 11 years ago. She undertook the task of re-registering her pet’s microchip and wanted to share the process to help others facing this task.

Steps to Re-Register Your Pet’s Microchip

If your pet’s microchip was registered with ‘Save This Life’, it is essential to re-register it with an active microchip company to ensure your contact information is retrievable if your pet gets lost. Here’s how:

1. Determine Your Pet’s Microchip Number: If you do not have this information, visit your veterinarian or the Napa County Animal Shelter. They can scan your pet to retrieve the microchip number.

2.  Look Up the Microchip: Use the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool to see which database your pet’s chip is registered with. If you receive a message stating “No information found in participating databases. Please see below for possible manufacturers,” this means your pet’s chip is not registered with an active database, and you will need to re-register it.

3. Choose a New Microchip Registry: Consider registering with 24PetWatch, the microchip company Napa Humane utilizes. Our staff member reported that re-registering her dog’s chip, which was formerly with ‘Save This Life’, was easy, fast, and required no payment. Please note that while basic registration is free, additional services are available for a fee.

4.  Verify Registration: Wait 4-6 hours after re-registering your pet’s microchip, then check the AAHA Universal Pet Microchip Lookup Tool. This time, when you look up your pet’s chip, it should indicate that it is registered with 24PetWatch (or the microchip database of your choosing).

Assurance for Napa Humane Clients

At Napa Humane, we understand the concerns arising from the closure of ‘Save This Life’. We want to assure our clients that the microchips we implant are sourced from dependable companies with robust, accessible databases.

We want to remind you that it is important to keep your information up to date, so in the event your pet is displaced, you can be reached easily. We recommend that at your pet’s yearly checkup, you have their microchip scanned and log into your microchip provider’s website to ensure your information is up to date! Please note that maintaining your information on the manufacturer website should be free, but microchip companies do offer additional services for a subscription fee.

Napa Humane Offers Microchipping Services

At Napa Humane, we provide low-cost microchipping services to help ensure your pet’s safety. Our drop-in vaccine clinic is available every Friday from 9:30 a.m. to 12:30 p.m., serving Napa County residents. Microchipping is offered for just $12. Click HERE for more information.

By taking advantage of these services, you can ensure your pet has a permanent form of identification, significantly increasing the chances of a safe return if they ever become lost.