Wednesday, November 30, 2005

Banfield Microchips - Not Readable By Most Scanners Used In the U.S.

This is a sad story, but people need to be aware: if you or anyone you know has had their pet microchipped at a Banfield vet clinic or pet hospital, beware: according to this article on CBSnews.com:
Banfield has some 350 hospitals, mainly in Petsmart around the country. They implant chips in pets at a cost of about $30 each. But the new chips can't be read by many of the tens of thousands of scanners already in shelters across the country. While technology has come a long way to help reunite owners with their lost pets, many shelter operators believe it's also getting in the way. So Humane Societies across America have asked Banfield to stop implanting its chips. They say Banfield got it backwards -- implanting the chips before making sure there were sufficient scanners available to read them.
Banfield says that it chose the chips that they use based on an by the international standards organization used in 148 countries, but critics point out that the United States is not one of the countries that uses that chip as a standard.
More shocking news:
In the Denver area, 75 percent of the shelters contacted did not have scanners capable of reading the microchips implanted by Banfield. Yet, many of the company's clinics did not warn about this when CBS News visited with a hidden camera.
Banfield has said that it will stop using those microchips until compatible scanners can be placed in all shelters within 25 miles of each of its facilities. Before you have your pet microchipped, do your research - call local shelters and ask which brands of microchips their scanners can read. It could save your pet's life.


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6 comments:

  1. Anonymous10:38 PM

    Good information Pindy, especially since I AM "chipped."

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  2. So I am! But thank goodness, not with one of those wierd chips that can only be read in Europe!

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  3. it is amazing to me htat it has taken this long for people to take action on this. I went to skool at Petsmart and my Teacher told us about this and she works there. It also makes Petsmart look bad because most people dont know theyare not part of petsmart they just rent space there.
    I am 2 and a half now So this has been going on at least two years. I think Banfield should have to provide scanners for all shelters that request them or give the peope their money back.

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  4. Hey Indy,

    I was chipped at the Denver Dumb(Humans I guess) Friends League five yeas ago. I think I am okay. I still think that humans should be chipped, too. Easier to unite separated families during natural disasters and it would help in kidnapping cases etc.

    Woof!

    Freda

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  5. It's true true have to know the company that provides the microchips. Shasta is microchipped too and I'm happy to say she can be read by all scanners.
    I does a little investigation as some of those scanners are not uo-to-date. PET OWNERS BEWARE! Good info Indy.

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  6. Indy, good job reporting - my humans don't watch CBS and didn't know about this. Fortunately both Sherman & I are microchipped. I got mine 9 years ago - it cost $5. My vet was't sure they were worth it, but when I got "lost" as a puppy, the nice sheriff who picked me up scanned me & took me back home. my mom thinks its the best $5 she spent!

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