So I don't believe they are being malicious, but my husky was previously taken care of by the kids of the family. I didn't interact with the parents at all, only the oldest daughter (probably 20-ish). They had to rehome the dogs due to moving because of some major life disruptions. I went and picked her up after some good conversations on the phone, seemed very honest and all that. Said they'll email me all the vet info cause its saved on the computer. No real red flags or concerns.

Except they still haven't sent it, even after I've sent them a handful of pestering texts past few months. Which they initially responded to saying, yes they'll get to it, and I tried to impress upon them the importance of it. But last message week ago still no response, I worry due to the combination of them moving across the country, being kids, probably being pissed off and upset about rehoming dogs, and just all the other disruptions to their life they figure they can just ignore person from humane society website they gave their dog to because its no longer their problem. Or maybe just don't have it in them to be bothered right now and probably don't really understand how important it is.

So, I am wondering, short of pestering them in text hoping they respond, is there something else to do? She has a microchip, can't the vet scan the chip and find old records that way? Or is there any particular facility I'd need to take her to in order to get that done?

As I understand the worst that could happen is they'd have to revaccinate her? Supposedly she had all the vaxes, but I'd like to avoid that if possible.

First question first, nope the chip isn't going to help in that case, the best it'll do is to show who the currently registered owner is ... I hope that's you <??> if it's not and they haven't helped with medical then getting them to transfer registration to you is gonna be a nightmare! Any vet can scan the chip (and a lot of others have scanners as well, Animal Control for example [and I have one, which doesn't help you])

If you know who the vet they used is then you might reach out to them. If the area isn't too big, you might just call various vets and hope you'll find the right one and they'll give you some insight. While vets aren't bound by HIPPA (??) the still tend to be cautious about giving out information. They probably will NOT tell you anything about the previous owners, they probably WILL tell you about the dogs record if they know.

I actually don't know if she is AKC registered or anything like that...

I kind of got the sense she was just from some litter from friends

I have the license number from her prior pet tags. Can that be used for anything? I don't even know where you go to use such a number?

If you have a rabies tag call the vet listed on the tag then give them the number and they can look up the records. It the #1 way people find the owners of lost dogs here

Ah. So thats what that is. There is a tag with an id number, and the number is legible, but the tag is so faded i cant make out anything else but some characters of the phone number and the word "vet"

Is there any like universal database where such id numbers can be looked up?

Let's try this again.  You said that she had a chip and my comments about registration referred to *that* chip being registered.  If you take her to a vet or to your Animal Control they'll normally scan her for free.  The only problem I see with that route is that the company her chip is registered with will contact the owner of record - that might be the people you got her from or it might be almost anyone.

I've hinted that knowing where you are can help a lot with what we suggest.  If you live in "nowheresville" then looking for the local vets and that partial phone number would probably work; that approach in Los Angeles probably wouldn't.

As far as looking up either the chip number or the number on the rabies tag, the registered owner of that chip number must be confirmed with the company who sold the chip bit as I've said that probably won't help you.  Using that rabies tag number and the fact that you know the phone number belongs to  a vet is probably going to give you the best results even if it is going to be a little work.

The rabies tag is so destroyed though...

I can only make out the letters

...eis...
...vet...
..8-23.....
Then her 6 digit id number, I presume that's what that is.

Is there no way the microchip can lead me to vet records? Also what's it take to get the microchip switched over?

If I have to I can pester them more. I just noticed her nametag has a different phone number than who I was interacting with before, hopefully it'd be someone more responsive in the family.

The rabies tag is normally issued by the county where the vaccine was given, so I'd check with the county animal control. If you give them that id number they can tell you who the vet was vaccinated her. While you're talking to animal control is a good time to have her chip scanned to ensure she has one and who she's registered to.

Emphatically and for at least the third time there is NO WAY that the chip company can tell you anything about the dog other than whether she's chipped with them or not and, if they're in a really generous mood, who the previous owner is - though that's normally limited to animal control or vets.

With the reception you've had with the previous owners getting the chip transferred to you is going to be a hassle. They have to provide a release (of the dog) and then you and them have to work through the chip company. NB different companies have different ways of handling ownership transfer.

24petwatch is probably the easiest and you can see what they want here

Just some suspicion... something happened they do not want you having the vets name otherwise you might find out what that is. I went through the same thing with a rottie we had years ago that died at 6 after having multiple strokes. The dog was vaccinated and whatnot but did not want to hand over records. At the time there was only 1 vet clinic in truth or consequences so i was able to track records. Found put the dog had been abused and then attacked the owners roommate and it was recommended the dog be euthanized. I would not have considered a rottie that had mauled someone knowing i lived in an rv on an air force base. I would bet there is a reason they are dodging you. Whether its because they lied and didnt actually do it or they are hiding someone. I wouldnt even be shocked if they dont block your number. The microchip is actually a huge issue if it isnt registered to you and something happened, ac might say you arnt the owner and not give you your dog back. When i was much younger i split with a bf over domestic violence. He called the cops to get our dog. Because his name and not mine was on the chip, they let him take anubis. He didnt even like anubis, it was about me and he went and dropped anubis at a high kill shelter in houston. Luckily i had called every shelter in the area and they called me when he was brought it. Anubis got hit by a car a few years later but that is why your name in the microchip is so important.

And they get lost. I was about to re-register spider with home again before it expired at the end of the month and they couldn't find it. If it migrated that far i might just have her redone in the off chance they dont put the effort into looking.

I texted again yesterday saying its very important and actually got a response... said they tried to send it few weeks ago but must have typed my email wrong... waited a day and still no email with records.

It's so so hard for me to see this dog being a dangerous dog... shes so mellow and even my attempts to play a little rough and hold her down shes so passive


But like if push comes to shove, is my only option to just report her as a lost dog then let the shelter go through the whole process?

Depending on where you are - and that's most places - going through the shelter (animal control) is playing a very dangerous game.  If you report her as a lost dog (who you've found and are caring for) they'll probably want you to give her to them and then who knows what will happen.

If they've texted you back, see if they'll give you the vets name (and maybe a phone number)

What's the possibility they didn't come by the dog legitimately? At the least, ask them to transfer get chip info to yours.

Well finally got a response and the vet info!

and it's like the one vet that doesn't come up when you zoom in on the area and search "vet"

I called the vet and asked for records directly, said they can't give it to me because shes not in my name, but THEY DID say they just sent the records to the prior owner today and prior owner in text verified and said theyll get them sent to me when they get home and then get the vet records transferred to me too...

So I still think they were just being kind of lazy and not thinking its as important as it really is..

stray wrote:

So I still think they were just being kind of lazy and not thinking its as important as it really is..

Welp. You did say these were kids who have just left home? To me, that suggests they are probably in their 20s. My experience, as the parent of those who have once upon a time been in their 20s? Not particularly reliable, on top of things. Does the word scattered mean anything to you? Patient persistence is your best approach.

And make sure you get proof of ownership and the chip registered to you!

I have got the vet records!

She is a normal vaccinated husky doge with no problems

yes they were just being scattered

Now just need to actually get ownership transferred

and how is proof of ownership different than the chip? I thought it was just the chip?

For me its both the chip and the vet records and my vets do all angle photos of the dogs.

I guess think of it like a title or having registration papers with your name on it. When we did horses there are steps within the breed registration to do transfers but they all require a bill of sale (or free) just basically something saying they gave her to you and they relinquish ownership to you.

stray wrote:

and how is proof of ownership different than the chip? I thought it was just the chip?

A bill of sale or other document transferring ownership. I have them for both dogs, one from a rescue and one from the town animal shelter I adopted from. I needed to provide that to town for licensing.

When I got Avalanche from the shelter I gave them $75 and, in turn, was given a whole set of papers, his shot record, his date of birth (!!!!!) and his chip number who the chip was registered with.  He was chipped by and registered with 24PetWatch.

Sky was given to me by a woman who apparently couldn't keep up with her ... not sure what was going on but before I got her at 2 years old she'd been in 5 different homes.  Got that from her shot records that the previous owner had given me.  I think part of the problem is that she "leaks" there's a name for that and it's been discussed here but I can't fathom why no one wanted her.  She was originally registered with HomeAgain but I transferred her to 24PetWatch.

Zeus was given to me by a friend and chipped by the county Animal Control.  He's registered with 24PetWatch as well.  It helps an old man if they're all with the same company ...

I just ran each chip number with this company which tells me what company they're registered with and how to contact them. (And if you click on that link, it'll show you what it's allowed to ... about my dog Sky)

Each dog has a unique chip number that points back to the registering company who in turn can tell me where my dog is if they're not at home.  (( Not GPS, they have to be scanned and the company has the information to reunite them with the pwner ))  That last is why it's important to get the dog chipped and registered with one of the registering companies.

Since I'm known at the Animal Shelter and Zeus was given to me she confirmed, with the original owner, that he'd given Zeus to me and that he was mine before she put the chip in.  My vet has been my health provider for all my dogs for 13 years and Zeus' previous owner also uses her so starting his records with them was not a problem.

The chip, oddly enough, isn't proof of ownership.  It shows the person who registered that chip, that person may or may not actually be the owner.  That's one of the reasons chip registries are so careful to try to ensure the person registering the chip is, in fact, the owner. If the dog is chipped and you've been taking care of it for years, if he gets lost and picked up by animal control they won't, generally, return it to you ... it goes to the person to whom the chip is registered.

This is where I put my foot in my mouth ... I'm not sure that you really understand what a chip is and how it's different from a rabies tag, for example.  Sothis page explains just what a chip is and how they work.

Well I wrote an adoption agreement with the number and vet info, and signed, sent it to them and told them they need to sign and send it back

also gave them instructions to transfer the chip to me, they have to delete their entry from freepetchipregistry.com

so waiting on them again, but at least I have all the medical records now