Changing chip details help

[Cherrypie32]

I don’t know if I’m being stupid or if I’ve been scammed. I paid £15 and changed the details of my rescue dogs chip online with Pet Chip Registry. If I put in his number now in there it says our details but when the vet scans him it still says old details. I’ve sent them two help enquiries but no reply. I don’t understand how to change the chip. Can anyone help?

Hmmm interesting my dogs chips details are with petlog. Honestly I didn't realise there was other companies.

Dogs trust have some information and say to find out which database the chip is registered to and change it with them. Perhaps your dog is registered with more than one company?

Did your vet tell you which database they use to view the details?

Actually I’ve just found a print out (maybe from vet, I’m not sure) and it says his details are with petlog so going to start with them. There is a phone number for them at least. If you google change pet chip there are lots of companies so it’s def confusing and I’m annoyed if I’ve paid for a service that doesn’t work

I bet your details are now with both companies but possibly the petlog one is the right one??

There are loads of different microchip registries unfortunately - I really wish that could be changed.
AFAIK you can register your chip multiple times with different companies, but if it's already on Petlog I would definitely get your details updated with them as a priority.

Petlog have changed my details and are sending me a certificate, albeit fir another £17. I’m presuming next time he’s scanned it will have changed but if not at least they are contactable. Pet registry had no phone number and didn’t reply to online forms. Really I think there should only be one central base surely?

There really should be a central database, it's a complete minefield really :(

I didn’t know there was more than one either. My dog is with Petlig and I changed the details myself online when I got her from the RSPCA. I needed to contact them and emailed them loads of times and it took them three months to reply.

Dogs trust gives a list of databases but if you don't have the paperwork it can take time and detective work to find out where your dog is registered, if at all.

I couldn't change the main details at petlog, I could only be added as a new owner. When my dog is scanned it shows the original owners details on the vets computer but if they telephone petlog it will show my details as the most recent owner. Maybe its the same for you?

Its supposed to stop people stealing dogs and changing the ownership.

Pet Chip Registry is just a standalone company. They're nothing to do with any of the chip companies or databases. You can register your pet there if you like and it will be somewhere else with you and your dog's details on, but it won't change or update any of the details on the official database of the company the chip is registered with and which appear when the chip is scanned.

To check or change the details which are properly registered, you need to contact the microchip company he's registered with, which the vet will be able to tell you if you don't have the paperwork.

All dogs should be registered to the current owner or keeper now, by law. Not the previous owner or the rescue organisation or breeder the dog came from, although some will add those as a second point of contact if that's not being used by the owner (for a holiday home address, for example) on the dog's file.

Thanks for explaining that. I think I’ve managed to do that now as the vet scan said he was registered with Petlog but who knows, I’ll find out at his next check up. It’s really not as straightforward as perhaps it should be if they want all dogs registered correctly. Plus the cost would put some people off.

The UK Pet Registry thing, if not exactly a con, isn't necessary. They make out that it's somehow official but it's not.

Microchips numbers indicate which company issued them and therefore which database the details are held on and anybody scanning a dog will by default look there.

It is clumsy but it is what it is, currently.

There are still many dogs going unchipped and many chipped but not registered (including most racing greyhounds but that's another nest of worms) and it's still not law that chips must be scanned anyway.

Maybe the laws pertaining to dogs will be sorted one day but I wouldn't hold your breath!