AVID Chip & HomeAgain

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

When we got Rooney from his breeder he had been micro-chipped with an AVID chip, end of story.  When we adopted Stuart from the Adopt A Golden Rescue in Atlanta they had him chipped with HomeAgain.  Imagine my surprise when I got a billing from HomeAlone saying that it was time to renew.  Renew?  For what - the chip is still in there so what am I paying for.  Well - it appears that for a yearly fee they will notify area shelters and vets if your pet goes missing and some other stuff, equally something I'd be doing myself if Stuart went missing.  Now that I know that vets don't routinely scan new patients - the chance of a micro chip being responsible for the return of a pet is very low.  It seems like a big waste of money to me, is anyone else paying the yearly fee and do you feel that it is worth the cost? 

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Great reply!  I'm not disputing the importance of the micro chip itself - it is the yearly fee paid for some so called extra services.  To me they made their money when the micro chip was purchased and to keep billing yearly is a rip off in my opinion.  I'm not sure that they can "purge" the chip out of their system if you don't pay the yearly fee - when you or someone bought the chip (maybe they were free?) that is the fee to have the chip registered I would think.  In my mind the yearly fee is for the extras.  I'm going to call them and find out.

[Tina, Clover, Plus 5 More]

All have AVID microchips.  I believe it cost me $35 for the microchip and then $25 to register them.  I agree about the purging of inactive accounts.  Especially do to the type of service these companies provide.  But having worked as a database administrator before I know the other side.  I think that is why I decided to also register with the central database.  Charging a yearly fee is crazy.  Does anyone know if you can update your information if the yearly fee has not been paid?

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

I called HomeAgain.  They were very nice and told me that they do NOT ever purge Stuart's information.  So if he were lost or stolen and we haven't paid the yearly fee - they would still have and give out our information.  The yearly fee is for Lost Pet Specialist (who are there to help you cope with the stress of a lost pet - sorry but this sounds stupid to me) and the notification stuff - fliers faxed, etc.  So if you pay the fee great and if like me you decide that it isn't worth it - all is still good!!

[Tina, Clover, Plus 5 More]

This is great news.  I agree, why pay for a notification service when you would be doing this anyway.

[Margaret & Pebbles]

Pebbles was microchipped when she was spayed at 6 months.  I paid the yearly Home Again fee, I think it's $17.99 a year, but when it was time in May to pay the fee again, I declined.  I thought you had to pay the yearly fee to keep them registered, but that is not the case.  Like Jane said, it's only for the "extras" if your dog is lost.

I just now logged in to Home Again, and I can change info on Pebbles' page if I need to.  Also, on their homepage if you look on the "faqs", it says "entitled to basic recovery for life."  That suits me fine!

[Ginny Nightingale]

I paid it once and found that it was not necessary--the microchip is scanned by a vet or shelter or it isn't and being a member makes no difference as far as I can tell. It is a come on.

By the way, my vet ALWAYS scans any dog that is brought in to them that has been lost. There are more and more doing that.

[Jane, Rooney & Stuart]

Ginny - the problem is more and more dogs are being stolen - not lost.  So if I walk in with a dog and say that a friend gave me their dog because they had to move - the Vet will in the majority of cases not scan it.  Most Vets do not routinely scan and I believe that any time they get a new patient - I think they should scan, sadly it doesn't happen.

[Christine & Camus]

Camus has an AVID chip, which is what the San Diego County system uses, I forget the fee but it was not a lot.  My experience with AVID is good. Nietzsche had an AVID chip and , he got out of the yard by jumping a 6 ft. fence (this was before I realized the degree of separation anxiety he had), luckily he was picked up by a really nice man and taken to an animal clinic.  They scanned him for a chip and called.  Given this experience I naturally decided to get Camus chipped with AVID.  

A bit off-topic - Does anyone know about international dog chips?  Since I have plans to move to France I have read that Camus will need an internationally recognized chip.

[Ginny Nightingale]

Yes-they have a different number system and different scanners in Europe and there are chips at most vets' offices  that are used internationally. You can probably check with your vet to see if Camus has the international type or if he will need a new one. 

[Christine & Camus]

Thanks Ginny.

[F, Calla & Luca]

My two have Avid chip. As the others said, you pay an initial registration fee and you're done. A Reminder: Have you chips checked on annual vet visits to make sure they are readable.

[Ron Carnes]

Home Again will pay air fare to return pet if it is found over 500 miles from home. They will also pay medical bills should it be injured, such as, hit by a car.