Database Support for Microchip Identification in Companion Animal Identification
Kenneth Andrew Brockway · Carolina Digital Repository (University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill) · 2019
This study examines the use of microchips, scanners, and identification databases in companion animal identification and tracking. The study intended to discover whether the competitive database provider environment or the structure of the database systems themselves are appropriate for the information need, or if they are likely to change. The PETtrac™ recovery network, operated by AVID Inc., and the Companion Animal Recovery (CAR) system, operated by the American Kennel Club (AKC) were examined and compared to the systems of the National Crime Information Center (NCIC), the Integrated Automated Fingerprint Identification System (IAFIS), the National Center for Missing and Exploited Children (NCMEC), and the proposed National Identification System. The services provided by PETtrac™ and CAR appear to be accommodating pet owners’ needs for a reliable form of permanent identification and tracking. Competitive forces and business principles will likely determine any changes to the number or type of database providers, or to the structure of the database systems.