North Dakota & Montana: Microchip Warning for Pet Owners

Despite their small size, microchips carry a wealth of information—your pet’s identification number, contact information, and sometimes even health data. They’re implanted under the skin, and unlike collars, they can’t be lost or removed. When a lost pet is found, a simple scan by a vet or animal shelter can reveal their microchip number and help reconnect them with their owner.

Pet owners across North Dakota and Montana are scrambling over reports that some pet microchips might not work right now. If your pet was chipped through Save This Life, their chip is currently unregistered—meaning if they get lost, there’s no way to contact you.

Here’s what happened: Save This Life, a Texas-based chip company, shut down without warning. Their database is no longer active, and the American Animal Hospital Association (AAHA) has removed their chip numbers from its lookup system.

This issue isn’t just limited to North Dakota and Montana—it’s affecting pet owners nationwide.

The good news? Your pet’s chip still works physically—you just need to re-register it with another company. Some offer free registration, while others charge around $20.

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What You Should Do Now:
✅ Find your pet’s chip number – Your vet may have it on file, or they can scan it.
✅ Check your chip – If it starts with 991 or 900164, it needs to be re-registered.
✅ Go to AAHA.org – Use their lookup tool to confirm if your chip is still active.
✅ Re-register with a new provider – Look for a company that supports free or low-cost registration.

Regardless of what company you use, this is also a good reminder to check your pet’s microchip and make sure your contact information is up to date. Even the best microchip is only useful if it’s connected to accurate details.

Whether you’ve changed your phone number, moved, or have a new email address, keeping that information current ensures that if your pet ever goes missing, you’ll be reached right away. It’s a quick and easy check that could make all the difference in getting your pet safely home.

North Dakota and Montana winters are tough—don’t let a faulty chip put your pet at risk. Take action now to make sure they’re protected.

LOOK: Here are the pets banned in each state

Because the regulation of exotic animals is left to states, some organizations, including The Humane Society of the United States, advocate for federal, standardized legislation that would ban owning large cats, bears, primates, and large poisonous snakes as pets.

Read on to see which pets are banned in your home state, as well as across the nation.

Gallery Credit: Elena Kadvany