Microchipping is one of the most reliable ways to help a lost pet find their way home. A tiny chip, no bigger than a grain of rice, sits just under the skin and carries a unique identification number. When that number is registered with a functioning microchip company, veterinary teams and shelters can quickly contact the owner and reunite families.
But what happens when a microchip company stops responding?
Recently, a microchip brand called Save This Life, Inc. appears to have halted operations without notice. Phones stopped working, emails bounced, and online lookup tools began returning error messages. For pets with this brand of chip, the identification number still exists, but the owner information behind it is currently unreachable.
This breakdown has left some found pets in limbo, even when their microchip is scanned and shows as “registered.” Without access to the registry, veterinary teams cannot retrieve the owner’s contact information.
If your pet has a Save This Life microchip, the chip itself still works—but the registry behind it does not. Your pet’s microchip number can be scanned, but contact information tied to that number cannot be accessed. If your pet were lost today, a clinic or shelter may not be able to reach you.
You need to re‑register your pet’s microchip number with a reputable, fully operational registry. Re‑registering is simple and can be done online or by phone. Some registries charge a small fee, while others are free.
At Town N Country, we have only used HomeAgain and AKC Reunite microchips, and both of these remain fully operational and responsive. If your pet was microchipped here with us, you’re in good shape.
If your pet was microchipped elsewhere and you’re unsure of the brand, we can help. If we’ve scanned your pet before, we can check the number in your medical record using the ChckVet lookup tool. If you don’t know the number, bring your pet by and we’ll scan them at no charge.
Once you have the number, we can help you determine whether it needs to be re‑registered.
Microchip Registration Matters. A microchip only works if:
- The number is registered, and
- The registry is accessible, and
- Your contact information is current.
Even in the best circumstances, outdated or missing information is one of the biggest obstacles to reuniting lost pets with their families.
Despite the fact that Save This Life has gone dark, microchipping remains one of the most effective tools for bringing lost pets home. Microchipped pets are returned to their owners at far higher rates than those without chips.
If your pet is not microchipped, or if you need help locating the number or choosing a registry, let us know! Keeping your pet’s microchip active and accessible is one of the simplest ways to make sure they get home safely. Let us know how we can help!
