Dog Community

Micro chip rant

mrv

Posted : 8/10/2007 2:53:57 PM

Ok, I micro chipped by first dog about 8 years ago with the Homeagain program of AKC. AKC sold the business. Ok I microchip Nora last July. Regular enrollement activation, just like Dess. Well, chip migrates (all over the place and starts working its way down to muscle). Company says leave it alone and just put in a new one and she will have double numbers. First off no thank you, a chip that can move up to four inches in 24 hours, I dont think so. OK have the new chip implanted, old one removed. Finally get time to sit down with the paperwork. 10.00 activation fee and oh yes, give us access to your credit card for annual automatic payment of 29.99. You have got to be kidding me.

Now I am really grumpy. No way I am paying those folks essentially 30.00 a year to maintain a data base I might never need. I dont think I will activate this one. If it moves, out it comes and I am going to tattoo her.

I just checked the website, and they say the fee is 14.99 a year. So what is going on.

Jewlieee

Posted : 8/10/2007 3:05:41 PM

Call your local animal shelter. Ours registers the microchips for free and you never have to pay (they use home again too).

I do think that it's a total rip off to charge like that. Tatooing is a better idea imo.

mrv

Posted : 8/10/2007 3:12:17 PM

Worth a try... It just bugs me that the chip for Dess was activation fee only and Nora's first chip was activation fee only. Now this annual fee.... What on earth are breeders going to do? How can you manage that if you have a large litter or happen to breed two bitches in a year?

Sham cou

Posted : 8/10/2007 3:16:24 PM

I haven't heard of paying a yearly fee. Avid only charges an initial fee(forget what it is) and then $10 everytime you change any of the information.

snownose

Posted : 8/10/2007 3:18:28 PM

My vet switched from Home Again to Bayer I believe.....she explained there won't be a yearly fee for the old chips, but starting this year Home Again will do the yearly charge.....[8|]

fuzzy_dogs_mom

Posted : 8/10/2007 4:09:28 PM

Max is chipped with Home Again and we don't have a yearly fee. I just paid the the vet $17 when I had it done and she mailed it in. That can really add up for people with multiple dogs.

Joyce

mrv

Posted : 8/10/2007 4:30:32 PM

Nora's chip inserted in 06 didnt have an annual fee. The newest one, just inserted in June 07 does. It is something new that Homeagain has dreamed up.

timsdat

Posted : 8/10/2007 5:08:01 PM

My vet switched from Home Again to Bayer I believe

Be careful of which chip you use. If I have read correctly the Bayer chip is the ISO 134kHz chip that can't be read by most of the scanners in the country. Better check with your vet.

Ixas_girl

Posted : 8/10/2007 5:16:16 PM

ORIGINAL: Jewlieee
Tatooing is a better idea imo.

where do they put the tatoos?

timsdat

Posted : 8/10/2007 5:31:17 PM

Tatooing is a better idea IMO.

It there a national tattoo database. Wouldn't do much good if it can't be linked to a person. I have heard of tattooing the AKC reg# on a dog but unless someone recognizes it what good is it.

agilebasenji

Posted : 8/10/2007 5:39:05 PM

It there a national tattoo database. Wouldn't do much good if it can't be linked to a person. I have heard of tattooing the AKC reg# on a dog but unless someone recognizes it what good is it.

My boyz' tattoo is "AKC xxxxxxxxxx" and there is also a heart, so the boyz always have a heart on.

If you're going to have a tattoo, make sure you've seen the person's work. Especially their work they did a few years ago. Penmanship does make a difference.

Anonymous

Posted : 8/10/2007 5:42:46 PM

I was kind of put off by my last vet visit. Micro-chipping was brought up. But the fact that I was handed a pamphlet that listed an activation fee as well as an annual monitoring fee, I felt it was more of a marketing ploy than concern for my dog's well-being.

dubilpie

Posted : 8/10/2007 5:50:24 PM

I had one dog chipped last year and one this year, both HomeAgain, but one has limited service and one has full membership.

This is from FAQ's on their web site:

I have already enrolled with HomeAgain some time ago. Am I entitled to the new services?

As an existing HomeAgain client you are entitled to our basic recovery service for life. None of the new services (proactive recovery, emergency service, online health information) will be available to you unless you enroll with the new HomeAgain. There is an annual enrollment fee of $14.99.

.

Just wanted to add, I wonder if you could asked to be enrolled in the limited service so you won't have to pay the yearly fee.

snownose

Posted : 8/10/2007 6:00:06 PM

[linkhttp://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2006/04/10/daily28.html?from_rss=1]http://www.bizjournals.com/kansascity/stories/2006/04/10/daily28.html?from_rss=1[/link]

mrv

Posted : 8/10/2007 7:22:33 PM

In my initial rant, I forgot to mention, they sell your information to other firms as well. There is no information about opting out of the privacy policy and they have not returned any of my emails with concerning that question.