Microchipping

Latatian

Is it worth registering your animals on more than one database or is it just a waste of time?

What are yours registered with/what are the most commonly-used ones?

Any rescuers here have experience on what they're like to deal with in getting the contact information of owners?

How long do the databases keep the contact information of the owner?


Me and the microchipping legislation: "Ah, not a bother on it, ours were microchipped years ago. And I put all of the paperwork in a safe place. Everything's sorted." Ever tried to find papers you put in a safe place a decade ago? I'll never learn.

So I've contacted the database they're on to see if they still have the record of them, and I'm going to try and find out if it needs to be updated and if so what that will cost. I'm thinking of registering them on Fido.ie but I don't want to spend the money to do it if it won't be an additional help getting them home.

Good thing the legislation came in, really. Once they were registered I kind of went "well, that's done now, grand." and forgot about it.

Posy

My dog is from a large Dublin rescue and she's microchipped and registered on pet-trace?
I've no idea if she's on a database anywhere because I can't find anything to do with pet-trace online.
I'll have to have another look and maybe ask the vet to scan for for a chip the next time she's there.

I have no paperwork apart from the adoption papers with her chip number on it, so that will have to do.

muddypaws

I believe that there are only 4 databases that are accepted under the new legislation, Fido.ie, animark, Irish coursing club and Irish Kennel Club (which I thought was animark). It gets really complicated though, because even if you had your dog chipped and registered with one of these databases, you didn't get a certificate, you would have got a card with the details, but that is not sufficient under the new legislation. Now you have to apply to the database in question who will issue you with an actual certificate - at an extra cost.

So basically, those of us who have been responsible in the past and got our dogs microchipped, are being punished, as we now have to pay again. I think its €15 per certificate with Fido.

Latatian

They are on Animark and the IKC according to the European pet network? http://europetnet.com/en/members?language=en Have contacted them so.

Posy you might want to have a look on that website or call and ask the rescue? You can go into the vet with your chip number etc (think you need proof of address and ID as well) and ask them to register the dog for you on whatever database they use.

Inexile

I had one of my dogs registered with a particular database, not any of those mentioned by muddypaws, and only found out recently I might have not bothered as that database was not linked to any database that authorities would check.

The four mentioned above are all, I believe linked to pet.net.eu. you must be registered with one of the four. If you send your details and mchip number to Fido.ie they will check it for you and will issue you with a cert the cost ranges from €5.50 to about €15 depending on whether or not the chip is a Fido one or another database.

You have to be registered with one of the above so may as well check with Fido.

muddypaws

Inexile wrote: »

I had one of my dogs registered with a particular database, not any of those mentioned by muddypaws, and only found out recently I might have not bothered as that database was not linked to any database that authorities would check.

The four mentioned above are all, I believe linked to pet.net.eu. you must be registered with one of the four. If you send your details and mchip number to Fido.ie they will check it for you and will issue you with a cert the cost ranges from €5.50 to about €15 depending on whether or not the chip is a Fido one or another database.

You have to be registered with one of the above so may as well check with Fido.

Ooh, if its €5.50 if you're already registered with Fido, I will be happy, as thats who all of mine are chipped to.

I do like the fact that now you have to prove who you are when the chip is inserted, previously you could put whatever information you wanted down, with no check up.

On the flipside, it means now that rescues cannot chip an animal to themselves, and thereby keep track, and take responsibility if the dog turns up in a pound, the dog has to be chipped to the owner's address.

Latatian

Muddypaws- Animark and the IKC must have some connection, because ours are coming up as being registered with both. (Edit: each dog is registered with both)

I don't think it would make sense to also register with fido, and have 'em on 3 of the 4 databases, but sure will see what information I get from those groups.

DBB

Latatian wrote: »

Muddypaws- Animark and the IKC must have some connection, because ours are coming up as being registered with both. (Edit: each dog is registered with both)

I don't think it would make sense to also register with fido, and have 'em on 3 of the 4 databases, but sure will see what information I get from those groups.

IKC-Animark are, for all intents and purposes, one and the same. Animark is a general database, IKC-Animark is essentially the same database but specifically for pedigree, ikc reg'd dogs.
I think every rescue will tell you that Fido are by far and away the database to deal with, because to cut a long story short, it is easier for most rescues to trace found dogs thro Fido. They are also far more user-friendly.
I swear I'm not on commission

Andso

DBB, I found the complete opposite w Fido. A very un user friendly site. Now I only became a pet owner in September but we got our dog chipped the day he got his vaccinations and vet gave me a card to fill out online. I tried several times to do it but it was for every other animal bar puppies. Eventually I put details into envelope and posted it. I was told by vet I would get a cert back in the post, I have never received it. I was getting worried that if my pup went missing his chip wouldn't be identified so went back to my vet (there is no phone number anywhere to contact fido). He was able to enter my pups chip as a vet and I came up as owner. I still haven't received anything from them

DBB

Andso wrote: »

DBB, I found the complete opposite w Fido. A very un user friendly site. Now I only became a pet owner in September but we got our dog chipped the day he got his vaccinations and vet gave me a card to fill out online. I tried several times to do it but it was for every other animal bar puppies. Eventually I put details into envelope and posted it. I was told by vet I would get a cert back in the post, I have never received it. I was getting worried that if my pup went missing his chip wouldn't be identified so went back to my vet (there is no phone number anywhere to contact fido). He was able to enter my pups chip as a vet and I came up as owner. I still haven't received anything from them

I'm still waiting for my dogs' certs too, though I got one for a rescue dog the other day who had only been chipped a few days ago!
I think you bring up a fair point... since the new legislation has come in and the site was redesigned, I have found the Fido site harder to use.
But that's not really what I meant, as I was coming at it from the point of view of a rescue. Most rescues, pounds and vets can access the database having been given clearance from Fido, which means that most of us can scan, look up, and identify found dogs within minutes, often reuniting them with their owners within hours.
Whilst some rescues have similar access to the Animark database, it's more of a Holy Grail I'm afraid, and this can lead to more of a rigmarole in trying to reunite dogs with owners, particularly if the dog is found out-of-hours.

Latatian

I know. I'm more thinking 'wouldn't the thirty quid be better spent on keeping them in good solid tags, that anyone can use to get them home, rather than another registry for the microchip where you have to rely on someone scanning them'

fishoutofwater

Good to see this thread. Mine are both chipped but I didnt realise I now have to get certs too.

Latatian wrote: »

I know. I'm more thinking 'wouldn't the thirty quid be better spent on keeping them in good solid tags, that anyone can use to get them home, rather than another registry for the microchip where you have to rely on someone scanning them'

Tbh I'd still say both are necessary. Yes you are relying on someone scanning them but tags can get snagged on things and come off, the numbers can get scraped or fade over time. THinking about it.... I havent actually looked in detail at the tags on my two properly for years! I'm just assuming they're still there and legible! People can get new numbers but forget to change the number on the tag. Or if the dog is stolen the thief would remove the tag anyway!

I'd prefer to have all bases covered.

Once one of mine got out and a neighbour found her and took her in. My number was clear on her tag but the neighbour didnt notice or look and not having my phone number they just left a post it on my door to say they had her. Had it been a stranger who didnt know us... she could have ended up in the pound. Yes with tag and chip I'd have got her back but not without a lot of stress and hassle.

bluecherry74

Tags can get lost or removed, though. A chip is a nice permanent unmodifiable thing that your pet will have for life.

A friend at work had a strange experience last year. He got a call from a vet in another town to tell him they had his cat. Turns out his neighbour decided he wanted to "adopt" my friend's cat and brought him to be neutered (this cat is well looked after and clearly not a stray, and was already neutered). The vet scanned the cat as a matter of course and my friend's details came up. If the cat hadn't been chipped he'd never have known.

Latatian

They have a chip and should be registered (waiting on that reply), so it's not 'microchipping at all vs tagging.' I have both. It's another registry vs another tag.

Since they're chipped the thief/removing tag scenario is accounted for. It's just a way of getting them home faster if the person doesn't bother to scan them or the registry takes a little while to respond- they have home number and address, but I could get another with email and mobile numbers. I also reckon it's a good visible way of saying "Look, I'm owned and loved." I know too many people who found a 'stray' and assumed because it was 'skinny' and afraid that the owner was either non-existent or an abusive sod- so of course they wouldn't take it to be scanned. And a dog at a good weight looks 'starved' to many.

At this stage of their lives (14 and 15 years old) a good tag will probably outlast them, sadly. The last ones are a year old and legible, clear.

Edit: to clarify- which is the better way to increase the likelihood of getting them home- another registry or another tag with more info? Registry would be about thirty, tags would be about 24, so much of a muchness between them. I'm just wondering which will increase their chances/is the better bet, given that they already have tags with some info and microchips registered with animark.

tk123

Are you really supposed to have the cert with you all all times when you're out with the dog? (I just read that on somebodies FB..)

So glad I saw this! Didn't realise I had to get a cert for a dog I had registered years ago! Better get on that. Hope its only 5.50 for fido!
Have certs for the other dog (and kitten).

Speaking of tags, anyone know of anywhere online where you can get really good ones? Have bought from a few different places around here and they never last. Its like the engraving isn't deep enough. Khali squeezed and dragged herself under the side gate once with a brand new tag on her collar and by the time she got to the other side my number was unreadable!

Latatian

BuileBeag- boomerangtags.com do collar tags. They don't fall off and they stay readable for ages. Sadly they don't fit onto my current dog collars, but they are well worth the money.

There is also dogtagart.com, got a voucher for them about a year and the tags are still good. Can't vouch for them beyond that but so far so good! They're not engraved- they're printed, which means the letters are quite large and readable.

These are the only two I have experience with, but they were both pretty good.

boomerang

Deleted User wrote: »

Speaking of tags, anyone know of anywhere online where you can get really good ones? Have bought from a few different places around here and they never last. Its like the engraving isn't deep enough.

Lots of boardsies will tell you that the best tags in the universe are... Identitags! They never become illegible.

http://www.identitag.co.uk/productcart/pc/Plastic-Pet-Tags-c5.htm

Hooked

boomerang wrote: »

Lots of boardsies will tell you that the best tags in the universe are... Identitags! They never become illegible.

http://www.identitag.co.uk/productcart/pc/Plastic-Pet-Tags-c5.htm

And they'd be right! I have 4 of them. 2 dogs. One on each collar (for when at home) and one on each harness for when out exercising.

Bullet proof!

borderlinemeath

I prefer the brass ones to the plastic myself, but they're brilliant. And you get so much information on them, on both sides.

I presume Fido are dealing with a backlog of people wanting certs? I requested mine last week for my lot and my details are still "being checked by fido staff" in the edit column.

It really is a bit of a swizz having to fork out for certificates when they've all been chipped for years . Can anybody tell me the point to the certificates? Will they be needed to renew a licence? Will they be needed if you ever lose your dog and need to show further proof of ownership? Or will they just sit in the back of a drawer never to be used?

tk123

borderlinemeath wrote: »

I

It really is a bit of a swizz having to fork out for certificates when they've all been chipped for years . Can anybody tell me the point to the certificates? Will they be needed to renew a licence? Will they be needed if you ever lose your dog and need to show further proof of ownership? Or will they just sit in the back of a drawer never to be used?

This!! I haven't got certs for my two yet and wondering if there's a point?! Unless the warden actually comes to the house looking for them? I won't be carrying them with me the same way I don't carry their licenses around.

Thanks all. I love those dogtagart ones. Might get a little superhero one for hiro! But I think I'll get identitags ones with their info.

I'm worried if my dog got away from me somehow and ended up in a pound that they wouldn't return him/her without the certificate.

borderlinemeath

Fidos ears must have been burning, got the email confirmations for my 3 dogs an hour ago . Certs are €4.50 each as mine are all fido registered anyway but part of it is to cover postage, and surely they could lump 3 certs together in an envelope. I know they won't though.

You can now apply to receive your Certificate of Registration in compliance
with the law at a cost of 4.50 euro to cover the data check, the printing
and posting of the certificate to your address.

Latatian

borderlinemeath wrote: »

Fidos ears must have been burning, got the email confirmations for my 3 dogs an hour ago .

One post on boards.ie and you're FINISHED! I'll ruin you! Don't you know who my online persona is?

Pretzill

I'm a little confused. I registered my two a couple of years ago with Fido and like someone else said here, I don't know what I did with their certs - so thanks to this thread I just logged into Fido and their details are there and I was just asked to edit and confirm everything was correct for the new official certs - but I wasn't asked to pay for them? Am I missing something?

tk123

Pretzill wrote: »

I'm a little confused. I registered my two a couple of years ago with Fido and like someone else said here, I don't know what I did with their certs - so thanks to this thread I just logged into Fido and their details are there and I was just asked to edit and confirm everything was correct for the new official certs - but I wasn't asked to pay for them? Am I missing something?

They'll mail you back saying they've checked and you can pay for the cert etc

suitcasepink

Just a question of curiosity here..
We rehomed a dog from a shelter and she already had a microchip. So we went in today to get it scanned and so that we could send our details to FIDO only to find shes been registered with the Irish Kennel Club and some European Database.

It sounds like where someone would choose register their international show dog, could she have some sort of a background or is it just different people choose different databases to register with?

muddypaws

deise_girl wrote: »

Just a question of curiosity here..
We rehomed a dog from a shelter and she already had a microchip. So we went in today to get it scanned and so that we could send our details to FIDO only to find shes been registered with the Irish Kennel Club and some European Database.

It sounds like where someone would choose register their international show dog, could she have some sort of a background or is it just different people choose different databases to register with?

Having the microchip registered with the IKC doesn't mean that she is an international show dog, any dog that is registered with the IKC as a pedigree dog has always had to be microchipped. Puppy farmers microchip and register dogs just the same as reputable breeders. Its worked in my favour with rescue dogs that I've taken in, for working purposes, I can prove they are registered, even if I don't have their IKC pedigree papers. Its the one thing I think that the IKC have always done that the UK KC should have done. The law is changing in the UK now, so that all dogs there also have to be chipped, so they've caught up with us.

The IKC data base is part of the European one, just as Fido is.

suitcasepink

muddypaws wrote: »

Having the microchip registered with the IKC doesn't mean that she is an international show dog, any dog that is registered with the IKC as a pedigree dog has always had to be microchipped. Puppy farmers microchip and register dogs just the same as reputable breeders. Its worked in my favour with rescue dogs that I've taken in, for working purposes, I can prove they are registered, even if I don't have their IKC pedigree papers. Its the one thing I think that the IKC have always done that the UK KC should have done. The law is changing in the UK now, so that all dogs there also have to be chipped, so they've caught up with us.

The IKC data base is part of the European one, just as Fido is.

Could she be microchipped with the IKC without being a registered IKC dog? I couldnt imagine shes a pedigree to look at her, thats why I was so amused by the whole story! She looks an adorable mix between a jack russell and a dachshund
Thanks for the information, was letting my imagine get the better of me I think!

muddypaws

deise_girl wrote: »

Could she be microchipped with the IKC without being a registered IKC dog? I couldnt imagine shes a pedigree to look at her, thats why I was so amused by the whole story! She looks an adorable mix between a jack russell and a dachshund
Thanks for the information, was letting my imagine get the better of me I think!

Can of worms there The IKC don't check the dogs that get registered, so really, if someone owns papers for a dog and a bitch, they could say they were the parents of any pups and register them as whatever they want. No check would be done. Your vet, or whoever it was that checked the chip for you would be able to tell you, if they check the chip number, it will show the dog's IKC reg number as well.

muddypaws

I know that there is also a register for dogs that do things like agility, they don't have to be pedigrees, I don't know if they have to be chipped to the IKC for that. If so, then there is a chance your dog was stolen, I'd like to think (in my naivety) that if someone spent so much time with their dog that they got them registered for dog sports like that, then they wouldn't give them away, or dump them. Was there an owner's details when the chip was checked?

suitcasepink

Right thats very interesting, almost scared to say much more incase we end up losing our little girl!
We didnt get any more detail other than her code which we've now sent to FIDO with our own details to change over for us.
Its a funny one though because shes quite young still but we know shes spent a large portion of her life between a pound, an uncuccessful rehome, then finally a rescue for a few months before we got her.

EDIT: I meant to say the rescue we got her from was aware of her chip so I assume they must have tried to contact who she was previously registered to before they could put her up for rehoming?

muddypaws

deise_girl wrote: »

Right thats very interesting, almost scared to say much more incase we end up losing our little girl!
We didnt get any more detail other than her code which we've now sent to FIDO with our own details to change over for us.
Its a funny one though because shes quite young still but we know shes spent a large portion of her life between a pound, an uncuccessful rehome, then finally a rescue for a few months before we got her.

EDIT: I meant to say the rescue we got her from was aware of her chip so I assume they must have tried to contact who she was previously registered to before they could put her up for rehoming?

Yeah, if she's come through a rescue, they would have traced her previous owners if they were registered to the chip.

And don't worry about losing her, if she has done her 5 days in the pound, then legally she is yours. Poor girl, sounds as though she's been through a lot in her short life, thankfully you have now got her and can give her the life she deserves.

Latatian

I would write to the registry and check it. Too much opportunity for a dog to get stolen, or for someone to type a number in wrong when checking it etc. If it was my dog and someone had potentially adopted them- I'd hope they would check.


Another issue- if you send her details off to fido.ie as far as I know they're not 'changing it over', they are registering her with their database.
She's still on the other databases- presumably still under the other person's name. If she gets lost and goes in to a vet, rescue etc. who checks their chip number with the IKC instead of fido.ie, they will return the other person's name, not yours. If I were you I would write to the registries she's under, explain what happened, and get them to check it.

suitcasepink

Latatian wrote: »

I would write to the registry and check it. Too much opportunity for a dog to get stolen, or for someone to type a number in wrong when checking it etc. If it was my dog and someone had potentially adopted them- I'd hope they would check.


Another issue- if you send her details off to fido.ie as far as I know they're not 'changing it over', they are registering her with their database.
She's still on the other databases- presumably still under the other person's name. If she gets lost and goes in to a vet, rescue etc. who checks their chip number with the IKC instead of fido.ie, they will return the other person's name, not yours. If I were you I would write to the registries she's under, explain what happened, and get them to check it.

Thats a good point actually, Im still getting my head around the whole procedure. The place we got her scanned were the ones that told us to just send the details to FIDO, seemed to be the main one they were dealing with.
I have her code now so I'll ring the places Tuesday and see what they say.

Some advice please.
My year old GS bitch was microchipped when we got her. I just pulled out the cert and documents and see that its with a crowd called Animal Guard.

Having read through this thread I see that Animal Guard is not one of the 4 registered databases mentioned.
What do I do now? Do I have to get her microchipped again?



Edit: I see I just have to register details. Sorry!!



And yes I always leave things till the last minute!!

Bongalongherb

You might want to be careful in regards to microchipping your pet dog, as an investigation is pending in regards to dogs that are getting smaller in size from the microchip moving into the lower body...

Irish Times

Two investigations have been launched after reports faulty microchips are causing dogs in Ireland to reduce in size.

From today, all dogs are required by law to be both microchipped and registered on an authorised database.
However, many owners have reported that their dogs appear to have shrunk in the weeks and months after the new microchips have been fitted.

Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/micro-canines-reported-following-microchipping-1.2593928

Pretzill

Bongalongherb wrote: »

You might want to be careful in regards to microchipping your pet dog, as an investigation is pending in regards to dogs that are getting smaller in size from the microchip moving into the lower body...

Irish Times



Source: http://www.irishtimes.com/news/social-affairs/micro-canines-reported-following-microchipping-1.2593928

Umm micro chipping? (Checks date )

DBB

Pretzill wrote: »

Umm micro chipping? (Checks date )

My GSD is now the size of a Chihuahua. She was fine yesterday. Clearly this story is true!

tk123

DBB wrote: »

My GSD is now the size of a Chihuahua. She was fine yesterday. Clearly this story is true!

Think how many gombeens would jump on it if it was true - "Miniature Newfoundlands €150 , great pets, all vaccinations, meet you at Esso on the N7' :pac:

Bongalongherb

DBB wrote: »

My GSD is now the size of a Chihuahua. She was fine yesterday. Clearly this story is true!

Thank the stars that April fools day is over. I got caught-out myself on that one just after waking while rubbing my eyes and read the news. Imagine this crazyness was every day, we would all go insane. And I fell for it

Latatian

Of course I have just found their previous microchipping certificates, having registered with fido.ie and got new ones. Those safe places...

DBB

Latatian wrote: »

Of course I have just found their previous microchipping certificates, having registered with fido.ie and got new ones. Those safe places...

Does the old "Certificate of Data Registration" that they used to send out count as sufficient legally now? It's a different looking document to the new "Dog Microchipping Certificate"!