Got a Facebook notification today from a post on a Pet Accessories page of which I appear to have become a member (think someone added me).  The message, with lots of comments added, was from a "company" offering microchipping around the north East, and its initial "blurb" stated they chipped cats, dogs (and I think small furries) and horses too.  It added they were KC approved!

I added a comment what KC approved meant and they came back "KC means Kennel Club", so I tried again, and got the instant response that htey were trained by the Knnel Club to chip.  Also a reply from one of the prospective  customers that it was very important that the microchipper was trained "so that they did not hit a vein".

I added a reply saying I had not idea KC did training, and thought only Vets could implant horses - and the whole thread, along with the "review" thread vanished.  Has me pondering - how can you work a scam with Microphipping?  If it is a genuine service and they are just winging it without being trained it is a concern, as they would not, in theory, be able to register the chips, and could hurt the animals, but wondered what else could be the implications, as it seems a lot of trouble to go to as they are  quoting about £20 for 2 animals, including travelling some distances which must be at least 20 miles.

To buy micro chips you have to have a registration number. micro chips can be purchased quite cheaply in bulk, you would be surprised at the mark up that Vets put on them.
Tbh it does look dodgy over the kennel club approved statement.

I am a microchip implanter and I am registered with Petlog, which is ran by the KC. Definitely not something that is an 'accreditation', and it isn't something that's available, either.

Petlog do NOT offer microchip training, either. They can recommend companies who offer training, but you can't actually be trained by the KC themselves.

Chipping horses is definitely a vet procedure and they are breaking the law if they're not veterinary surgeons and they are microchipping birds, reptiles, horses or cattle. In order to register them with petlog you need a petlog login, which takes down all of your details including home address etc etc. Unless they are buying in a huge huge bulk (100+ microchips at once) they won't be making much money from £10 per animal AND travel. Oh, and to buy them you DO need a petlog registration number. (Or, the registration database on whichever chips you are using)

I'm veterinary trained to chip and registered with petlog. Person just sounds abit dim.

> "so that they did not hit a vein".

As microchips are subcutaneous, I certainly hope they don't hit a vein!

How weird!! Unless they ask for payment in advance somehow and then never turn up, no way to make money that way. The cheapest possible you can get chips is just under £4 each if you buy bulk -but petrol doesn't get cheaper if you bulk buy, sadly!!

Yes, I  am an implanter too, but only do my own, or very, very rarely for a fundraiser at a show etc.  I knew that the claims re KC and Horses were untrue, just wanted to lead them on a bit and see what they said, as I could not work out the scam, if it is one.

I searched on ebay and chips are available from the USA, but at about £6 per chip, wondered if maybe they can be bought from the Far East cheaply, and this is what they are trying to do.  It just seemed very odd, can't even see how they could ask for payment upfront.  They had ot have put some work into it, as bot the advert post and the client review post had quite a string of "replies" which they had to have dreamed up themselves, with lots of FB addresses.  Can you imoagine over 20  requests for chipping being genuinely sent in, from 1 geographical area, in under 2 hours?

Could they also be looking for potential theiving opportunities.

> wondered if maybe they can be bought from the Far East cheaply

I suppose they don't even have to be real chips if it is a scan.

I advertise my services online, I do a lot of advertising via my Facebook page, and I get three or four clients a week (In a good week!) for my local area. There is no way they are getting 20 in two hours.

Could you PM me their FB link?

as it seems a lot of trouble to go to as they are  quoting about £20 for 2 animals,

Not necessarily, the nets 24/7 trading at £20 a throw = £200 per every 10 suckers who sent money.

It added they were KC approved!

There again, it depends on exactly what the add you saw and ALSO specificly what KC say.

I know KC approve microchiping, they have some ownership or something in areas of it, which areas I have no idea. But anyone can sell microchips & state in an add they are KC approved, thats not deceptive unless KC makes some kind of specificity in its blurb which completely excludes ALL microchips except a specific microchip made clear in their blurb.

E.g. If I say I approve the ford focus model registered & made in France between Aug 2005 & Jan 2006 I have made a specific approval but if I  say I approve the ford focus that statement can be defined as the entire number of ford focus cars made anywhere in the world in any time period.

As far as I know anyone can start a microchip data base as a business of their own, saying "KC approved" again depends on what KC says it specificly approves of & said in a simple statement such as KC approved excludes a specificty.

> There again, it depends on exactly what the add you saw and ALSO specificly what KC say.
>
> I know KC approve microchiping, they have some ownership or something in areas of it, which areas I have no idea. But anyone can sell microchips & state in an add they are KC approved, thats not deceptive unless KC makes some kind of specificity in its blurb which completely excludes ALL microchips except a specific microchip made clear in their blurb.
>

This is kind of why I asked what they meant by "KC approved michrochippers" and they replied they had been trianed to chip by the KC - which is not something the KC do!    They run the petlog service, which records chip details, they don't sell the chips nor train chippers.  that, and the claim that they will microchip Horses aroused my suspicion  When I look along the list of comments and ralised it had all taken p[lace in a 2 hour period it looked frankly dodgy.  Still don't see the scam, I know if they ask for payment upfront before gong out that could  be it, but surely a very short term scam?

> I advertise my services online, I do a lot of advertising via my Facebook page, and I get three or four clients a week (In a good week!) for my local area. There is no way they are getting 20 in two hours.
>
> Could you PM me their FB link?

Parrysite, as soon as I posted my comment that the KC do not train peopld to chip and only Vets can chip horses all of the thread was pulled, as was the accompanying one with the supposed client reviews.

Will PM you the FB page details, but all it shows is a pic of and advertising flyer type thing, and a list of 6 FB friends.

Interesting you mention this. I saw a van advertised the other day that comes to your house to microchip. Found it very odd. Surely 99% of people would get their vet to microchip when having injections done? thought it seemed a very strage 'job' and even stranger (and harder) way to make a living

Some people don't want their young pups to be microchipped in case it moves. My last vet preferred to do our collies when they were at least 6 months old. Also, it's quite a big needle and if pups are also being jabbed at the same time might cause a bit of upset, esp in a smaller breed. I guess people might also prefer to have someone come to them if they are having a litter microchipped rather than risk taking them to the vet? Know what you mean about a hard way to earn a living though. I looked into it a couple of years ago but couldn't see there was much profit as each chip then cost £12, plus you paid to go a course.

Parrysite, as soon as I posted my comment that the KC do not train peopld to chip and only Vets can chip horses all of the thread was pulled, as was the accompanying one with the supposed client reviews.

Will PM you the FB page details, but all it shows is a pic of and advertising flyer type thing, and a list of 6 FB friends.
Rather alarmed that they can't even spell competitive!

Interesting you mention this. I saw a van advertised the other day that comes to your house to microchip. Found it very odd. Surely 99% of people would get their vet to microchip when having injections done? thought it seemed a very strage 'job' and even stranger (and harder) way to make a living
The majority of my clients are owners of dogs who are nervous of the vets, or they have more than one dog and it was a pain for them to get to the vets. A lot of them simply didn't get it done when they were puppies and don't fancy the hassle of a vets visit. I quite often also chip litters of puppies.

>My last vet preferred to do our collies when they were at least 6 months old.

I don't like my Chihuahua pups chipped until they are 6 months old.  My vet doesn't like chipping when jabs are done, as he tries to get them used to him, with no shocks.  I guess he wants a "pleasant experience" for them.

He does give me a "deal" with the microchips though.  I pay up front for 2 puppy jabs and the microchip on the first visit.  He gives a free 6 month puppy health check, and I get him to insert the microchip at this visit.  I get charged £7 for chipping by paying in advance. 

If I want a dog chipped while they are in for any type of operation, then I get charged £12 for the chipping.  I believe the normal charge is £21 but I have never paid it.

> Will PM you the FB page details, but all it shows is a pic of and advertising flyer type thing, and a list of 6 FB friends.
> Rather alarmed that they can't even spell competitive!

Had I been able to show you the thread from the FB page they were posting on you would have been even more alarmed!  Having studied their FB page details more closely it looks even more strange - assuming their home details are correct, the village is in a fairly remote country area (actually at the top of the same Dale I live in).  To get to the urban areas of the North East would be well over an hour at the very least, and some very much more - fuel prices would seem to wipe out any chance of a profit at the prices they were quoting supposed customers, it would cost them that and more to even get there without the purchase price of a chip.

Have trawled through a few other animal sales pages on FB (never  knew they existed - horrifying in places!) but can't find any similar postings from them.

Gwen, do you think it is worth passing on to Trading Standards to have a little look at?

I could try, but their actual own FB page says very little, I wish I had taken a screen shot of the threads on the FB page I found, but did not, nor did I get anyone else to take a look at it, and whne they felt foudn out the deleted their threads at once.

Pup is off to the vets to be weighed today (mostly so I can worm her correctly) and a nurse check her over for free as she has already had her two jabs.  We have decided not to microchip just yet as she is only a toy breed so quite small, and have a "painless" visit to the vet where she can just kiss everyone and say hi so she doesn't associate every vet visit with a needle!!   We are also going to sit in on a ringcraft lesson this evening, depending on how she is we may try and walk and a stand on the table (if we can both stay awake - think I am more knackered than her, when she snoozes I try and get on with the boring household chores).

Would say I think I would be more happy with my vet or a breeder I knew doing the microchipping rather than a man from the street ...