Check the Chip Pet Microchip Scanning Kiosk: User Data Released from the First 60 Days of Deployment

SAN CARLOS, CA, UNITED STATES, July 26, 2024 /EINPresswire.com/ -- Check the Chip, Inc. launched their first kiosk on May 1, 2024 at an independent pet store in Los Altos, CA. This represents the first access most pet owners and communities have had to interacting with a pet’s microchip representing a game changer for the industry.

The kiosk has an integrated Universal (i.e., able to read all 3 frequencies and encryptions) microchip scanner and operates on a secure, private cellular network. Since RFID microchip numbers are each unique and rather complex (9-15 digit alphanumeric codes), the kiosk will capture the chip number and perform a chip search instantly thereby eliminating all human-error prone manual steps required with a simple handheld scanner.

The kiosk instantly performs a database application search to help a registered lost pet back home. If the pet is registered, the pet's owner will receive an SMS message to their listed contact number and the location of the kiosk along with the contact information of the Good Samaritan. This seamless method eliminates all current fully-manual microchip owner look up steps which, if done incorrectly, may fail if the actual microchip number was not transcribed correctly. The kiosk instantly performs all manual steps effectively and within nanoseconds, helping pets to return home faster.

The kiosk offers 3 functions:

- Test a Microchip: Helps pet owners answer the question “Does my pet’s microchip even work?” (as a free kiosk service)

- Register a Microchip: Allows pet owners to register their pet with Check the Chip (a $49 lifetime registration fee)

- Found a Lost Pet? Allows Good Samaritans to scan a lost pet’s microchip and help to locate the owner (as a free service)

The Silicon Valley startup was founded on the hypothesis that pet owners and the public need access to microchip scanners to ensure their own pet’s safety and for Good Samaritans to help a lost pet find their way back home again easily and effectively. If given access to microchip scanners, pet owners will want to check their pet’s microchip. Currently, there are some 60 million dogs and cats with microchips in the U.S. and it is a well known fact within the pet industry that about half of these chips were never registered or the registration is out-of-date due to end-user confusion about the system and lack of access to microchip scanning technology. This confusion around pet microchips for pet owners is deep.

Microchips are out-of-sight and out-of-mind. By giving access to microchip scanners and registration services through a kiosk interface, this "hands on" methodology may make a significant impact on increasing the number of registered microchips to their rightful owners and thereby significantly increasing reunification rates of lost pets. With more kiosks deployed and more pets making it back home without requiring a shelter visit, it could possibly have the most significant impact on reducing shelter intake numbers nationally.

Results of the first 60 Days:

Between May 1 and June 30, almost no advertising nor marketing was performed before or during the initial kiosk launch period which established a baseline of word-of-mouth and organic needs from pet owners and the local community.

Within the first 60 days, the kiosk had 118 total user sessions:
- 81% of kiosk interactions were for the Test a Microchip feature
- 14% of kiosk interactions were for the Found a Lost Pet? feature
- 5% of kiosk interactions were for the Register a Microchip feature

“This early data is exciting because it brings to light the need for easy, local scanner access,” said Olivia White, Check the Chip’s Founder and CEO. “Our goal is to install our kiosks into every pet store in the U.S. With access to smarter microchip technology like this, it could have the largest impact on solving the lost pet problem, ensuring lost pets return home instead of entering overcrowded shelters. Before writing one line of code, we started by talking with 500+ pet owners in person, learning about the problems they have and meeting their needs. We hit a home run and couldn’t be more proud of these early numbers.”

About Check the Chip
Check the Chip™ delivers the best microchip kiosk technology that empowers pet owners and communities to keep pets safe and to send lost pets back home easier and quicker than ever before. The self-service kiosks have three services available: Free Microchip Check, Register the Chip and Found a Lost Pet? The passionate team of experts at Check the Chip love technology and love pets and believe in delivering the best technology to make the world safer for pets and to ensure they make it back home, where they belong. For more information on Check the Chip™ or kiosk locations

Stacey Doss, APR
SDDPR
+1 949-285-2362
email us here
Visit us on social media:
LinkedIn
Instagram
YouTube
TikTok

Pets & Technology: Why is this important technology so confusing?