Arizona pet owners have been left figuring out the next steps after a Texas-based microchip plant went out of business earlier this week.
Save This Life went out of business without notifying customers. Pet owners are now urged to get their pet’s chips scanned.
“People can have their pets' chips scanned really anywhere that has a scanner,” said Heather Allen, president of Halo Rescue. “Any of the vet offices, any of the veterinary emergency clinics, any of those types of places can help out with that.”
If a person has a chip registered to Save This Life, they are able to register it to another company.
“It impacts people all over the country in the sense that people are transient, so pets are moving all over the country,” Allen said.
If people are looking for where to get their animal microchipped, most shelters and vet clinics can do it.
Allen said all pets have the risk of getting lost. Microchips are the most efficient way of reconnecting owners.
“There is always a risk of a company getting shut down, but microchips are an invaluable resource to help reunite lost pets to their families,” Allen said.
Tags and collars are only beneficial for pets that are lost within the neighborhood. Microchips cannot be removed as easily as collars and the first thing shelters and emergency clinics check.
“If they have legs they can travel, so it's an extra safety net for them,” Allen said. “Collars and tags are always really helpful because it helps get pets home the quickest.”
