Veterinarians supporting pet owners over potential microchip failures
This press release updates the prior statement from the NZVA to give clarity to the chip numbers that may be faulty.
Please disregard the previous update.
Animal health product provider Virbac has identified potential failure in three batches of their microchips used between
2009 and 2012.
Due to this possible failure in some of these microchip batches, Virbac has requested veterinarians replace these
microchips.
Veterinarians have answered this call and are working with Virbac and the New Zealand Companion Animal Register to
support pet owners in replacing chips which may be faulty.
Virbac have arranged with veterinarians to cover the costs of having a second microchip inserted and registered if your
pet has a microchip from the faulty batches.
The failure rate of microchips is exceedingly low. These three batches of Virbac BioTec microchips have not been used
since 2012 after they were recalled. They represent less than 0.7 percent of all microchips in New Zealand.
Microchipping and registering your pet with the New Zealand Companion Animal Register remains the New Zealand Veterinary
Association’s recommended method of permanent identification for pets.
They have shown their value with the successful repatriation of thousands of lost animals in the 2011 Christchurch
earthquake and have continued to show their value with veterinarians across the country. Microchips allow veterinarians
and other registered rescue outlets in New Zealand to quickly contact owners in the event of an emergency.
How to find out if your pet’s microchip needs replacing
If your pet was microchipped between 2009 and 2012 they may have a chip that is at risk of becoming unreadable sometime
in the future.
Microchip numbers can usually be found in your pet's vaccination record booklet.
If the 15 digit microchip inserted in your pet starts with either of these numbers:
900-088-00x-xxx-xxx
900-008-800-xxx-xxx
900-010-000-xxx-xxx
please make an appointment with your veterinarian to have a second microchip inserted and registered.
Virbac will arrange with the veterinarian to cover the cost of placing the second microchip, and this will provide
additional security in the event that your pet goes missing. .
If your pet may have been microchipped between 2009 and 2012 and you do not have a copy of the microchip number, or are
unsure if you are affected, you can email the New Zealand Companion Animal Register at info@animalregister.co.nz to find out. Please provide your full name and contact details, including previous addresses you may be registered
under, along with the microchip number if you have it. The Companion Animal Register will find your microchip number for
you and will advise whether or not you need to contact your veterinarian. This is also a good opportunity to ensure your
contact details are up-to-date on the New Zealand Companion Animal Register.
If you’d prefer, you can take your pet to your veterinary clinic to be scanned to check if the microchip is functional
and ensure it is not from one of the faulty batches listed above.
More information:
The New Zealand Veterinary Association is New Zealand’s only membership association representing New Zealand
veterinarians. We’re proud to have served and supported our members since 1923. We work to influence, on behalf of
veterinarians, for the good of animals, the profession, the country, and society.
The New Zealand Companion Animal Register is dedicated to providing a 24-hour recovery service for companion animals in
New Zealand. This site is owned by the NZ Companion Animal Council and all profits go to help fund New Zealand Animal
Charities and Projects. The NZCAR stakeholders include six of the leading companion animal welfare agencies in New
Zealand including the New Zealand Companion Animal Council Inc. the New Zealand Veterinary Association and the Royal New
Zealand Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
ENDS