Frequently Asked Questions

Microchips are radio-frequency identification (RFID) implants that provide a permanent ID for pets. They are the only pet reunification technology option available that is implantable and not attached to a collar so, unlike everything else that attaches to a collar, microchips cannot fall off a collar, be removed, or become impossible to read. Microchips do not require a power source like GPS. Learn more about our microchips here.

When registered and scanned correctly microchips will work almost 100% of the time. When a rightful pet owner registers a pet’s microchip the owner’s contact information can be looked up via a unique code that can be read when scanned by an external scanning via Radio Frequency Identification Data (RFID).

There are multiple microchip companies with multiple scanners, multiple radio frequencies, and multiple registration databases and as a result of there being no standardization, there is a lack of scanning altogether. Please see Peeva survey on microchipping. Further… The Animal Welfare Act does not authorize the USDA-APHIS to regulate private pet ownership and concluded that it cannot mandate a national standard for pet microchips or scanners. There have been various attempts to petition this law by various factions and numerous initiatives to introduce new laws by other factions- for at least 13 years.

Microchips carry a unique identification number. If a pet gets lost and is taken to a vet clinic or animal shelter, it should be scanned for a microchip to reveal the unique ID number. When a microchip scanner is passed over the pet, the microchip gets enough power from the scanner to transmit the microchip’s ID number. That number then needs to be called into a pet recovery service, and then the rightful pet owner is supposed to be contacted using the contact information on file when the pet owner registered the pet. For microchips to work they need to be registered.

No. Microchips are very small and the process in which they are implanted is similar to a routine vaccination and not any more invasive. Peeva’s microchips are slightly smaller than other brands microchips, which means our syringes are smaller.

A microchip will last the lifetime of your pet.

Peeva Microchips
134.2 kHz ISO standardized microchips can be read by any other brand’s scanner and at a slightly longer range.They are slightly smaller than other microchips which means our syringes are smaller and the process of implanting them is not any more invasive than a routine vaccination and less invasive than other microchipsISO 11784/11785 compliant, recommended by AAHA and AVMA.MORE

No. There are a few microchip registries that will let you store your pet’s medical records in their systems, but nobody has access to them except you- so you’re better off just keeping that information on file or contacting your pet’s primary veterinarian. They will have that information on file.

PEEVA LINKS MICROCHIP RECORDS TO PET MEDICAL RECORDS

Peeva links pet microchip records with pet medical records in a cloud-based robust EMR SaaS that any participating veterinarian within the Peeva network will have access to. This has many benefits; such as access to records after a primary veterinarian’s hours of operation, as well as across time zones.

Peeva can pull up a pet’s complete medical history simply by scanning a microchip. Any brand of microchip. Peeva is the first company to read, record, analyze and catalog any brand of microchip regardless of the manufacturer, but only a veterinary professional that is part of the Peeva network can look up your pet’s information if they have access to Peeva’s central registry. You will be notified either way simultaneously. Microchips themselves store no other information than a code.

The frequency of the radio wave. Microchips in the US are 1 of 3 frequencies; 125 kiloHertz (kHz), 128 kHz, and 134.2 kHz.RFID- Radio frequency identification data- other examples of stuff that uses RFID: EZ Pass for toll booths, stuff to stop shoplifting- those things attached to clothing, inventory, contents of refrigerator etc…

There is in Canada and the EU; however, pet ownership is not regulated in the United States. This is why the potential of RFID and microchip technology is limited. There has been a push towards an ISO standard here in the United States for close to 2 decades.

There are multiple microchip companies with multiple scanners, multiple radio frequencies, and multiple registration databases. Because there is no standardization, there is a lack of scanning consistency altogether. Further, The Animal Welfare Act does not authorize the USDA-APHIS to regulate private pet ownership and concluded that it cannot mandate a national standard for pet microchips or scanners. There have been various attempts to petition this law by various factions and numerous initiatives to introduce new laws by other factions- for at least 13 years. Needless to say, they have all been unsuccessful. To circumvent this issue, Peeva came up with a valid workaround.

Yes. Peeva’s microchips are ISO standardized 134.2 KhZ microchips certified by ICAR. You can learn more about our microchips here and more about the importance of obtaining an ICAR certification here.

There are no risks to microchipping an animal. There are only benefits. Neither shelters nor veterinary clinics will be able to read every microchip or even attempt it unless asked. Animal shelters and veterinary clinics are very aware of the concerns about missing an implanted microchip. Kill shelters, such as the ASPCA, do NOT take extra measures to determine if a microchip is present before a decision is made to euthanize or adopt out the animal. Some “Universal” scanners are becoming available, but they are not truly universal because they do not detect different microchip frequencies to read differently branded microchips. PEEVA IS RESOLVING THIS.

Once your pet is microchipped, there are only three things you need to do: 1) make sure the microchip is registered with Peeva; 2) ask your veterinarian to scan it with Peeva at least once to see if it works and 3) keep your contact information up-to-date in the Peeva registry.

RFID is Radio Frequency Identification Data. An external scanner activates and reads a microchip’s unique identifier emitted by the chip that is activated by a radio wave when an external scanning device passes over it.

Microchips are “reactive” because they are permanent and can’t be tampered with. So if someone takes your pet’s collar off and eventually takes it to a vet in the Peeva network, shelter, or daycare you will be notified right away.

Yes. You first need to register te microchip with Peeva. You should also have it checked every time you go to a vet to make sure it didn’t migrate to another part of your pet’s body which can sometimes happen.

134.2 kHz ISO standardized microchips can be read by any other brand’s scanner and at a slightly longer range.They are slightly smaller than other microchips which means our syringes are smaller and the process of implanting them is not any more invasive than a routine vaccination and less invasive than other microchipsISO 11784/11785 compliant, recommended by AAHA and AVMA.MORE

Yes. Peeva also makes your visits to doggie daycare centers and pet groomers much faster and convenient as they no longer need to place a call to your vet for your pet’s current vaccinations. Having a tag on your dog or cat is less of a hassle for the truly good samaritan that is trying to get in touch with you. Rabies tag numbers also allow the tracking of animals and the identification of a lost animal’s owner, but it can be hard to have a rabies number tracked after veterinary clinics or county offices are closed for the day. Other microchip databases are not always available. Peeva is available 24/7/365.

Call the shelter, or have it scanned by a vet or pet store in Peeva’s network. The shelter should have scanned the animal before letting you adopt it. And if they could only detect a chip and not read it- you or they should have it scanned somewhere else. It’s not cool if you have someone else’s dog or cat. Some shelters implant microchips into every animal they adopt out, so check with the shelter and find out your new pet’s microchip number so you can get it registered in your name and then register it with Peeva to ensure that your information is available across all devices and hidden (encrypted) behind a company firewall. You can also ask a vet in the Peeva network to scan for a chip. The Peeva scanner will ensure your chip is read.

The Peeva scanner will detect each chip as it is passed over it. Otherwise, the likelihood of either of them being detected by the same scanner is slim. The Peeva scanner would detect both chips. The chain of custody would then be followed to ensure that the pet would be returned to its rightful owner.

There are absolutely no reasons to not microchip your pet. The missing pet problem is an epidemic and a microchip is the only permanent form of ID a pet will ever have, but it needs to be enrolled in a database provide by a legit pet recovery service that is actively searched and provides a team of telephone support that are available at all times of the day to facilitate the prompt return of any animal found to be enrolled in their respective registry.

Yes. You can do so at any vet.

Not at all. Microchips are tiny. The process in which they are implanted is quick and no more invasive than a routine vaccination.

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You can check your pet’s microchip on the microchip page.

You will need to register it.

You can check to here to see of your pet’s microchip is active.

Yes. A microchip will only work if it can be tracked back to the pet owner directly.

It will not work.

They do not. Every vet in the Peeva network does as part of our stipulations.

Yes. Absolutely. Unless your pet’s microchip is not universal or encrypted and can not be read by all scanners.

If your pet is scanned by Peeva, Your pet’s complete life history will show up on the computer screen. If your pet is scanned by a typical microchip scanner, the microchip ID will display and that’s it. That number will then need to be manually searched in multiple registries until a match is found.

A microchip will last your pet’s entire lifetime, however, they will expire after 20 years.

No. This is a common misconception about pet microchips. Microchips are RFID implants that are activated when a reader is passed over it at close range. GPS is much to large to be implanted into an elephant let alone a dog or cat.

They can not.

Yes. However, both will need to be registered. Very few pets are microchipped twice so a vet tech or shelter worker will assume the first chip read is the ony a microchip a pet has. Microchip scanners do not read multiple chips simultaneously.

A microchip can only be registered with Peeva one time. If there is ever an attempt to register a microchip with Peeva a second time, Peeva support gets an instant alert that there was a duplicate attempt. We then call the original owner to learn if they re-homed their pet. If we learn the pet was stolen we send the police over to the person’s home that attempted to register the chip a second time. We actually find a lot of pets this way. Please see checks and balances.

You will need to fill out a transfer of ownership form on the pet ownership page.

You can both fill out a transfer of ownership form on the pet ownership page to ensure the pet is registered to the proper owner.

Pet owners that have their pet’s enrolled with Peeva can update their details and their pet’s information at any time at no cost. If the pet is being re-homed to another owner, the new owners will be required to pay to enroll the pet with Peeva after the new and prior pet owner both fill out the required transfer of ownership forms.

This cannot be done.

You can not scan a microchip with a phone of any kind. For a detailed explanation why, please see this blog post.

GPS pet collars and pet microchips are the best way to find a lost pet. Anything else is such as a QR tag reader is totally useless.

Sign in to your dashboard here.

Sign in to your dashboard here.

You can check your pet’s microchip on the microchip page.

You will need to register it.

You can check to here to see of your pet’s microchip is active.

Yes. A microchip will only work if it can be tracked back to the pet owner directly.

It will not work.

Yes. A microchip can fail to result in reunification even when implanted correctly due to incompatible scanners, failure to scan, an unregistered chip, or outdated owner contact information. The chip itself may function, but the system around it can fail.

Some scanners cannot read all frequencies, scanning may be rushed or incomplete, or the chip may have migrated slightly. These factors can cause a present microchip to be missed.

Scanners read the first chip detected. If that chip is unregistered, it may be assumed the pet has no usable registration—even if a second, registered chip is present.

They do not interfere electronically, but only one chip can be read at a time. If the unregistered chip is detected first, it can block access to the registered chip’s data.

Due to time, staffing, and resource constraints, if no registration data is immediately available, shelters may rely on the person presenting the animal rather than initiating a lengthy lookup process.

Approximately 52% of microchipped dogs are never reunited. Common reasons include failure to scan, incompatible scanners, unregistered chips, and registries that do not provide live recovery support.

While rare, physical trauma or manufacturing defects can render a chip unreadable. Most failures, however, are procedural—not technological.

Cats are less likely to be scanned, more likely to be assumed feral, and more often lack up-to-date registration information.