FAQs Archive • Page 2 of 3 • CatChip.com

Q: Can all microchip scanners read the CatChip?

Yes! All scanners currently used in the pet industry can read the CatChip. Our microchip products can be read by scanners around the world because our chips are ISO certified and compliant, meaning they meet international and national standards for animal identification. If you have any questions, give us a call at 800-434-2843.

Q: Is there an annual fee to keep my chip registered?

No. No renewal fees. No annual fees. Your registration is maintained with full Member Benefits for as long as you own your pet. You only pay a one time initial fee, and you may not even have to pay that if your breeder, rescue, or vet has paid it for you!

Q: Are the chips I buy registered to me?

PLEASE NOTE : Buying a microchip is not the same as registering it. It is essential that a microchipped cat be connected to the owner in a registry designed for that purpose. Otherwise, it's just a number. When you order microchips from Microchip ID Systems, they are documented in our database as being sold to you. This is not the same as proving ownership and holds no claim of ownership (for an individual cat) with licensing or legal authorities. Additionally, our modern services such as SearchALERT and Safe Places are only available for registered pets and owners.

Q: Is the microchip a GPS device?

No. A microchip installed under the skin of an animal is NOT a GPS device. The microchip does not have a battery or power source, which is required for live GPS tracking. Microchips respond to radio wave signals initiated by a scanner. The technology required to incorporate a lifelong battery for a GPS device small enough to fit into a mini microchip (yes, THAT small) is not currently available.

Q: What is the Pet Microchip Lookup Tool?

There is only one official Pet Microchip Lookup Tool . It is a free search engine operated by The American Animal Hospital Association. The website is HERE . It is free to use worldwide. Thousands of microchip numbers are entered and searched daily through the AAHA platform. It is the go-to destination for veterinarians, shelters, rescues, and others when they find a lost pet with a chip. They are looking for the registry where the owner has enrolled the pet. Note: the Pet Microchip Lookup system is NOT a database. It stores no info. It simply points the user to the Registry where owner info is stored. If a cat's chip is not registered, the lookup tool cannot find the owner. Note: All pets registered in our registry at BuddyID.com are automatically trackable in the Pet Microchip Lookup network.

Q: Does your Registry have live customer care?

Yes. And here is why: When a pet is lost, missing or stolen, an owner wants to talk to a real person. Circumstances vary. Conversation is required. Human minds need to be on task to get pets home fast. It is important to sort out the details. None of this can be achieved by a robotic registry. Our highly trained team knows how to help owners, vets and shelters who are dealing with a lost or found companion animal situation. Trained specialists are available by phone seven days a week. BuddyID.com – for Cats and Dogs.

Q: What is the problem with these '900' microchips?

Those who rely upon microchips to reunite pets and owners have voiced concerns about a type of ISO chip that begins with these three numbers: 900 (nine-zero-zero). The concerns are centered around ease of tracking the chip back to the maker/distributor. There are over 70 companies who share the 900 codes, meaning they all start with 900. By contrast, about 20 companies have earned an unshared code, such as 933, 985, 965, making them easier to track to the source because they are unique. Therefore, we provide advice as follows: It is more difficult to quickly track a shared code 900 chip to their overseas and/or out-of-reach manufacturers. If a pet has a ‘900’ chip, it MUST be registered in a database so the owner can be quickly contacted. Many vendors of 900 shared code chips acknowledge that they cannot track the chips they sell. Most, not all, of these vendors do not participate in the national pet tracking system. If you decide to use chips beginning with the 900 code, contact the maker and ask the hard questions: Failure rate, sterilization process, readability, conformance with standards, distributors, etc. Irresponsible microchip manufacturing and/or record keeping can threaten the tried-and-true dependable system that pet owners and care-givers in the United States have come to rely upon. Microchip ID Systems Position: there is a clear responsibility that comes with the manufacturing and sale of microchips for animals. Microchips should always be trackable to a source. Company or vendor contact information should be available. A real time, live Call Center is mandatory.