# Microchips failing at border?



## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

Looking at getting another dog and it will get it's passport so it can go abroad with us.

It just occurred to me, what if the chip cannot be found when being scanned to come back to the UK - does that mean 6 months quarantine? 8O 

Anyone have concerns around this?


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## javea (Jun 8, 2007)

Not sure about the answer but we carry a chip scanner with us and check that the chip is still in place before we commence our return trip from Spain.

Mike


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Hi Morag

We don't take our dog abroad, but when we had her microchipped we received a certificate from the vet with her chip number on it, and her physical description, plus our name and address.

Since everything is computerised these days I imagine the border controls would be able to check that the number corresponded to your personal details, though I guess they might wonder if the dog with you was a "ringer"!

Short answer is "I don't know" but you may not have been aware of the certificate, and when you get your dog you can ask the vet if that alone would suffice if the chip failed or could not be found. (They do migrate sometimes I believe.)

Dave


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## MikeCo (Jan 26, 2008)

We normally ask the vet to check it when we do the pre-ferry visit so we know it's still there.


Mike


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## rugbyken (Jan 16, 2006)

Luckily. Molly has patches and the chip has migrated to the edge of one of these, at one time I was convinced the chip was a tick so knew exactly where to put my finger on it for the scanner


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## arwvet (Oct 12, 2011)

You can't import a pet whose chip has stopped working, but it doesn't matter if it migrates.

If the chip fails, which is very rare, you have to start from scratch: get the pet chipped again, re-vaccinated against rabies and new/updated documentation issued. Until that's complete, the pet will not be allowed into the UK, unless they are kept in a quarantine kennel while everything is brought up to date. Since 1 January 2012, this will only be for 3 weeks, which is now the waiting time under the scheme following rabies vaccination.

A properly functioning chip, recorded in the appropriate Pet Passport, is the only method of identification which is acceptable under the Pet Travel Scheme: the certificate which can accompany chipping is not a substitute.

It's always worth checking the chip whenever you're at the vets, or carrying your own scanner. And ALWAYS check that the tapeworm dose date and time is properly recorded before you leave the vet - it's too late when you get to the ferry! Other than that, it's really dead easy.

As usual, the best place to get all this info is the Defra Pet Travel Scheme website

http://www.defra.gov.uk/wildlife-pets/pets/travel/


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## Hezbez (Feb 7, 2009)

arwvet said:


> You can't import a pet whose chip has stopped working, but it doesn't matter if it migrates.
> 
> If the chip fails, which is very rare, you have to start from scratch: get the pet chipped again, re-vaccinated against rabies and new/updated documentation issued. Until that's complete, the pet will not be allowed into the UK, unless they are kept in a quarantine kennel while everything is brought up to date. Since 1 January 2012, this will only be for 3 weeks, which is now the waiting time under the scheme following rabies vaccination.
> 
> ...


Thanks, it's good to know it would only be 3 weeks and not 6 months.


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## Bill_H (Feb 18, 2011)

Why not have two chips in the dog?


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## Zebedee (Oct 3, 2007)

Bill_H said:


> Why not have two chips in the dog?


That thought occurred to me Bill.

The vet wouldn't have to fish around looking for a single chip if it migrated or failed. :lol: :lol:

_(Apologies for appalling, but irresistible joke. It does seem like a sensible suggestion to me.)_

Dave


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## stevethebeekeeper (Jan 23, 2011)

Two of my friends had a bit of hunt for their dog chips. It turns out in both cases the chips had migrated down one of the legs. Now they know where it is they just direct the 'checker' straight to the relevant leg.


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## Twm-Twp (Jun 14, 2012)

Zebedee said:


> Since everything is computerised these days I imagine the border controls would be able to check that the number corresponded to your personal details, Dave


We've had first hand experience of having to deal with a problem bringing our labrador back into the UK via Eurotunnel and can confirm that this 'assumption' is incorrect. There are a number databases that hold details of animals that have been chipped, e.g. Petlog etc but the border control officer we had to deal with showed no inclination to attempt to get any other information about our pet other than what we could physically put in front of her.

Even though our problem was eventually sorted out, after our vet in the UK faxed information to Calais Pet Control, I decided to tell others what happened to us (via my very first post on this forum) mainly as a warning to others.

The Defra website is the best source of information you can use .... but I understand in the very rare event that your pets chip has somehow failed, you will have to have your pet re-vaccinated and re-chipped and a new passport issued before it is allowed back into the UK. The good news is that this process now takes only 3 / 4 weeks. This new system has been in place since January this year.


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## arwvet (Oct 12, 2011)

Just for completeness sake, it's worth saying that there are indeed databases of chip numbers, run by manufacturers and other organisations. They're used by vets, police, RSPCA and others to try to get lost pets home. Various attempts have been made to amalgamate them so that all the info is in one place, and British Small Animal Veterinary Association, with others, has also tried to get a Europe wide database going. Obviously, something like that would be sensible, but I don't think it's going to happen soon. There is also a debate about the need for compulsory chipping and a statutory register, which is a different argument, of course, but it would achieve a unified database. 

The ferry companies probably feel that it is definitely the owner's responsibility to ensure that the pet complies with the Pet Travel Scheme, and that is the legal position, too. Their job is only to check what's put in front of them.


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## chasper (Apr 20, 2008)

Can anyone recommend a pet scanner please, just another peace of mind purchase.


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## MEES (Apr 20, 2006)

Its la lot less stressful to have the vet who signs the passport after worming show you exactly where the chip is than to sweat it out at the border.
You would be really unlucky for it to migrate between vets and port.
We get our vet to check it before we leave England also. Probably unnecessary but we are neurotic sice 3 years ago due to our inefficiency ouir Dalmation was stuck in Europe for nearly 7 months.
Nothing to do with the chip though


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## thieawin (Jun 7, 2006)

Interesting question if two chips would require separate passports, and boosters

If you put in a second chip after the original passport was issued you would have to have a new rabies shot because the order is chip, shot, 3 weeks, travel. The passport has to show date of chipping and date of shot. It can be issued at any time after the 1st shot, but no travel for three weeks

I had a similar experience coming back via Santander 3 weeks ago. The last booster one of our dogs had had was not accepted. The vet had enterd the date of the booster and the date of expiry of validity. He had written 20/04/15 as expiry, realised it was wrong and should have been 23/04/15, and corrected. The manuscript amendment was noticed and was reason enough to refuse boarding.

The other two were OK, but the ferry agent would not let us on. What to do, drown dog, kennel it in Santander and go back and colect, leave it, who with, go back to Barcelona and miss boat, travel through France and hope at another port. I tried to persuade for 20 mins that as it was only done in April 2012 and minimum validity is 12 months so it was OK, that the 2015 was clear and a long way off, all to no avail. "You go back to vet and get him to correct it". Not much good when I am 700 miles from the Vet and an hour from sailing time.

Anyway, since we have gone on to 3 year validity booster shotswe have continued to have the shots administered annually. Looked at last years entry (over the page) the April 2011 booster entry was clear and did not expire until April 2014, the 2010 was still in validity and was clear, so went back and he relented

Your vet abroad should check the chip when administering the tick treatment and health check, ask him to, its part of what he is being paid for, how else does he know he is certifying the correct dog otherwise


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## zulurita (May 9, 2005)

chasper said:


> Can anyone recommend a pet scanner please, just another peace of mind purchase.


www.pet-detect.com

We bought ours from here, The Pet Scanner"" as we had an old dog with a very old microchip number as well as a new puppy.


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## GEMMY (Jun 19, 2006)

Ditto,  

tony


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## BrianJP (Sep 17, 2010)

Recently returned to Uk for 8th time with our 2 dogs .No problems.
Always a concern if chipis working or not but they have a very low failure rate ( they would wouldn't ,they otherwise they wouldn't be used, it would be tatoos instead).
I always get Spainish vet to check aok before I start journey. Eurotunnel office has very powerful chip scanners now that seem to work at greater range so not much room for error there.Dont worry.Seems to be lots of unnecessary waffle on this subject here!


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