There’s been some talk on social media recently with some campaign groups calling for a single, government run pet microchip database. They claim the current system is a broken mess. This leads many pet owners to believe that microchipping is useless.
These claims are bad for Animal Welfare and Pet reunification. People think it’s useless so they do not register or update their pet’s microchip.
The system definitely is not perfect and we’ll cover that in our article.
The 24 database myth
Some of the posts and articles I’ve read state “Vets and rescues now have to search 24 different databases”. This is totally untrue. Searching any one of the 24 databases will tell you which database the microchip is registered on. Try it yourself
Here’s a Test microchip number on our database: 900217000181723
Now go to the following databases and search that number:
You’ll see each and everyone of them direct you back to us.
How do Vets and Rescues get the pet’s details
When they know which microchip the database is on they can do a few things:
If they have a login they can login to that database and search the details
They can call that database’s 24/7 number and get the details.
The problem
The problem isn’t the system, it’s a lack of enforcement of the existing rules. There are what I’d describe as bad databases, which don’t maintain a 24/7 phone number, or don’t have the ability for logins for vets and rescues. This causes problems for vets and rescues.
If there was enforcement of the standards, there wouldn’t be 24 databases.
Why a Government monopoly isn’t the Answer?
It sounds simple: “One big list.” But we’ve all seen how government-run IT projects and call centres usually play out. Have you renewed your passport lately? Or called HMRC?
In a competitive market, databases like MyPet have to innovate to keep your business. We have to be faster, more user-friendly, and more accessible. In a government monopoly, that drive to improve disappears—and the costs to the taxpayer (and the pet owner) almost always go up.
Secondly, many of the databases are tied with microchip supply. In a world where the database is no longer connected to the microchip supply, microchip costs would increase.
The main reason microchips fail to get pet’s home quickly
The number of databases isn’t the biggest problem in microchipping. We know this first hand dealing with hundreds of pet owners every week. The biggest issue is details not being up to date.
The misinformation some campaign groups sell does not help this.
So why are pet owners not keeping their details up to date. We think there are 4 key reasons:
Optimism Bias: We think, “My dog would never run away,” so we don’t bother updating the admin.
Financial Friction: Many databases charge up to £39 a year just to change a phone number. This “paywall” discourages people from keeping their data current.
Out of Sight, Out of Mind: We forget the chip is even there.
Education: People aren’t aware it’s their job to ensure their details are up to date. They think their vet handles this.
Misinformation: People thinking microchipping is useless because of misinformation or a bad experience with a poor database.
How MyPet Helps
At MyPet, we don’t think the solution is more bureaucracy. The solution is removing the barriers that keep pets from getting home.
Always a free option for MyPet microchips: We’ve been sent articles misstating our pricing, so let’s be clear: MyPet Basic is free forever. You can register, update your phone number, and transfer a pet without paying a penny, when it’s a MyPet Microchip.
80% of our customers choose Basic: While we offer premium features like smart tags and alerts, the vast majority of our users get exactly what they need for free.
We fight forgetfulness: We send automatic 6-monthly email reminders to our users. A quick “nudge” ensures that your “house key” always fits the lock.
How the Industry is helping?
The AMDO is working on a longer term project to make a single point of search, which will allow Vets and other authorised agents to access details more easily. The Industry is doing this at no cost to the government or the taxpayer.
The Bottom Line
The UK doesn’t need a government-run database; it needs higher standards.
The system works—MyPet alone helped reunite hundreds of lost pets last year. But it only works as a partnership. The chip provides the ID, and you provide the data.
To the vets, rescues and implanters: Choice matters. Don’t pick the cheap microchip or the easy choice. Pick a supplier that answers the phone and makes life easy for your clients.
To the pet owners: Don’t let social media noise discourage you. Microchipping is the best protection your pet has. Log in to your database today and check your details. If you’re with us, it’s free.
