Microchips from Banfield Hospitals (Petsmart) not read by most scanners The Colorado Veterinary Medical Association (CVMA) and the Denver Area Veterinary Medical Society (DAVMS) would like to inform members
of a current animal welfare issue. In February 2004, Banfield pet hospitals began implanting a 134-kHz microchip which CANNOT be read by scanners currently used by most veterinarians and animal care and control professionals.

The AVID and HomeAgain microchips used in the U.S. operate on a 125-kHz frequency, and the manufacturers of these chips have distributed scanners widely so that the chips can be read (or at
least detected, in some cases due to AVID's encrypted technology) with one scanner. However, the scanners used to detect AVID and HomeAgain chips CANNOT read or detect the presence of the 134-kHz
chips currently being implanted at Banfield pet hospitals. Thus, should a pet that has been chipped with the 134-kHz chip become lost, that animal may not be able to be reunited with its owner, and could be adopted out or euthanized, depending on shelter circumstances. Pet owners are paying for a procedure with the expectation that it will provide peace of mind about the return of their lost animal, but in reality this is not the
case.

The 134-kHz chip from Banfield is compliant with the International Standards Organization (ISO) standards, and is marketed as the new gold standard in permanent identification. CVMA and DAVMS leadership
believe, while it may be desirable to transition microchip technology in the U.S. towards international ISO standards, it is irresponsible for any business to introduce a microchip that, because of its frequency,
cannot be detected by the scanners currently in place throughout much of the U.S.

CVMA and DAVMS leadership believe that a responsible product introduction must include widespread distribution of an effective scanner BEFORE new chips are implanted in animals. While Banfield has distributed some scanners, it has not been a robust or effective effort- nor did it address the veterinary requirement for scanners. According to Crystal Imports, the distributor of the chipping technology being
sold by Banfield, approximately 600 scanners have been distributed to shelters nationwide. CVMA and DAVMS leadership estimate the number of scanners needed to saturate the shelter community in Colorado
alone is approximately 1,200. This figure does not include Colorado veterinarians.

Even if Banfield distributes sufficient numbers of scanners for their chips it would still result in a situation where veterinarians and shelter personnel would have to scan an animal twice with two different
scanners. CVMA and DAVMS leadership believe a one-scan "universal scanner" with open technology (no encryption) is the only solution to this problem.

"We know that the Metro Denver Shelter Alliance, the Humane Society of the United States and PETsMART have all asked Banfield pet hospitals to temporarily stop implanting microchips until this issue can be
resolved," says Jed Rogers, DVM, chair of the DAVMS Animal Issues Committee. "As of today, there has been no response from Banfield."...

The Humane Society of the United States (HSUS) has taken a lead in public awareness on this issue, and disseminated a news release late last week to media around the country. American Humane has also just
put out a press release. Please see below for a link to each.

For the press release from HSUS, please use the following link:
http://65.61.158.165/ace/20788

For the press release from American Humane please use the following link:
http://tinyurl.com/38rqy

In Colorado, both CVMA and DAVMS are aligned with the animal care and control community on this issue. The leadership of the veterinary organizations believes it is not the responsibility of the animal care and control community - or the veterinarian - to resolve this issue. That responsibility belongs to the commercial companies who benefit financially from the sale of microchips. ...