dunroving

I took my dog to the vet today to start the process of taking her home next summer.

She has already been chipped (two years ago before we went on the Appalachian Trail, in case she got lost).

They said today that the chip was a HomeAgain chip (also something about HomeAgain being subject to a lawsuit). I just found the "receipt" from that chip and it seems to say it's and AKC Companion Animal Recover chip.

My current vet said the HomeAgain chip is no longer recommended and doesn't meet the Euro recommended chips for the PETS scheme. The receipt for the old chip shows a 10-digit serial "number" (it had letters in the serial), and from what I can tell, this is what is required for the PETs scheme.

Anyway, she installed another chip that apparently does meet the requirements. It just dawned on me that when she gets scanned at entry, it will show two serial numbers - is that going to be a problem?

[Duh, one more thing - I just looked at the rabies certificate and it doesn't have her new chip serial number on it - is it supposed to, for the PETs scheme?]

Polyphemus

Sadly according to the DEFRA guidelines you will need to re-vaccinate;

'Before vaccinating the animal, you must read its microchip. You can vaccinate any time after the microchip has been fitted.

If an animal has been vaccinated before it was microchipped, it will have to be vaccinated again.'

This is if your dog's current rabies vax precedes Chip 2's implantation date, and that Chip 1 is no longer a valid method for identification (which is my assumption from your post). The premise is that the criteria below must be followed in strict order and have sequential date evidence.

'# identified with a microchip
# vaccinated against rabies (but not before it is 3 months old)
# blood tested at an EU-approved laboratory and get a satisfactory result
# issued with an EU pet passport or, in a non-EU listed country, a (sic)official third country veterinary certificate
# treated against ticks and tapeworms.'

Regarding double-chipping - not too sure here, but if the original chip had letters then it is very (very) unlikely to read at all on the approved scanners, so should not present a problem. So;
Perhaps you could get your vet to try scanning with an approved scanner to check if Chip 1 is found.
Otherwise get your vet to contact your Federal Agency (?) for their advice on double chips (they can contact DEFRA) - an external identifier (collar tag) and/or certified statement in the export docs may suffice. Or e-mail DEFRA direct (and wait )
Worst case scenario Chip 1 requires surgical removal.

Shout back if you need further info, best wishes Gerry

Scout

I just brought my dog in thru Gatwick last week with the Home Again chip. We didn't have any problems.

dunroving

Thanks, that's very helpful!

Actually, they did vaccinate AFTER implanting Chip #2 (same day, but after), it's just that I don't see the chip serial # written on the vaccination certificate. If she has to get another rabies jab I'll be ticked - she only had the last one 4 months ago (when it was due; a 3-year job, and before I knew for sure whether we'd be going home).

Also, my guess is that the HomeAgain (or whichever it is - still have only the "receipt", haven't found the paperwork yet) does read on a scanner - because it read on theirs (the vet's). When the vet tech read it he said "This one's got letters in it, not like the ones we use". That's when the vet (I think) said it must be a HomeAgain chip, that the HA chips are "too low frequency (Hz), lots of people have had to re-chip their dogs, there's been a lawsuit, etc, and so it's better to re-chip her with a European ISO chip", blah, blah.

dunroving

Again, that's very helpful (though, now is a bit worrying - because it means there may be a "double-reading" on entry).

And I thought this was going to be simple ... from all the previous posts I should have known better.

immunise

Defra states you can use ANY chip brand you wish, if you think there will be problems reading the chip the you should provide your own scanner ($200) from home again.

My dog has home again, it is not an ISO standard chip. See http://www.homeagainid.com/about/support.cfm#1

The chip ID MUST be on the Rabies certificate, it MUST also be on the FAVN report and the Vet certificate.

Paul

ladylisa

I cant see it would be a problem having two microchips in your dog at entry to the UK. As long as one of them was put in and follows the PETS scheme, surely.

Polyphemus

Hmm. Airport staff scan dog get chip 1, all docs state chip 2 = go straight to quarantine , do not pass go. Yes, you can assume that handlers would have the sense to scan 'til successful, but....

I once treated a double chipped dog, read chip A 9/10, chip B 1/10.

To the OP, yes new chip no. must be on all docs relevant to the export esp vax certs and rabies Ab titre. When you are back at the vets (to edit the vax cert) ask them to try to sort out the double-chip quandary wrt Fed Regs, as stated prev it will probably only be a cert or included comment bearing both numbers relating to all the steps (ie vax 'also bears no. ..', serology report; 'also bears..' etc.) Will speak to my local DEFRA buddies for you (I want to know too!).

TTFN Gerry

dunroving

Thanks for going to all this trouble!

I called them about the "no chip # on rabies cert" problem and they apparently had their computer guy come in to help them fix this. Thanks for the suggestion of putting "also chip #" on the cert and other documentation, just in case. I'll contact DEFRA (when I get a spare minute!), but appreciate you also looking into this!

Jansz

Hi, I also have just sorted out my dogs to go back to the UK next year and they also have 2 chips as the old ones may not be read on the scanner at quarant. My vet didnt see a problem except has written on the documents where the ISO chips are on the dogs necks as they are hard to find. I didnt think to get him to write that there are 2 chips though. I will be travelling on the same flight as them and he said I will be there anyway so can tell them where to scan. As I have not done this before I am not sure of the process, but figure as they comply and I will be at the airport I should be able to stop them being shipped off to quar. and if they were I could just go and get them straight out, though no doubt at a huge expense! :scared:

Scout

This really shouldn't be a problem. The chip number on the certificate is the one they will read when the dog enters the UK. Just make sure they realize the dog has two chips so they read the correct chip.

immunise

To those who have returned from the USA to UK on the DEFRA scheme. What paperwork went with your dog? Obviously the EC 998 form and the customs declaration...and the FAVN report...and Vaccination records....but did you have to provide a certificate stating when/where your dog was microchipped. Anything else I have missed?

Thanks

Paul

Polyphemus

DEFRA say no prob as long as both chip numbers are recorded on all documentation relevant to export. No external ID carrying this info necessary (collar tag etc.)

Good luck, Gerry.

dunroving

You are so good!

Just to confirm for everyone else, too, here is the email I eventually received from DEFRA. It also states that HomeAgain can be read at Heathrow, etc., but many vets can not read them so best to get a higher standard one:

Good Morning,

This will not be any cause for concern as long as both microchip numbers are read and recorded on all of your dog's paperwork in the USA. Please note the Animal Reception Centres (ARC) based at Heathrow, Gatwick, Bristol and Manchester airports can read the Home Again microchip, but UK vets cannot. If you were planning on continuing to have your dog in the scheme administering another microchip at the start of the PETS procedures was a good idea.

Regards

[Name deleted]
PETS Helpline


Thanks again for your advice - and everyone else, too!

dunroving

Another interesting update: When I went back to the vet to get both chip #'s recorded on the rabies cert, they must have scanned her half a dozen times or so before the "better" chip (Avid) registered - the HomeAgain number kept popping up!