Bitsfinder - Lost Pet RFID (Microchip) Scanner Concept

Inspired by my passion for rescues and my rescue (Bitsy!)

Current-state experience:
If your pup wanders off, it's likely to be a private citizen who encounters them first. If your pet doesn't have an ID collar on, typically the animal is taken to animal control or a shelter. Animal control + shelters will use a special RFID scanner to see if they are microchipped. If they are, then they try to track the owner down and inform them that their pet is found.

More often than not, when a pet is found they are near their homes. If we all had the opportunity to read these microchips ourselves, we could make a huge impact on the intake overload of shelters as well as reunite animals with their owners faster, decrease the trauma the animal may experience + also have greater potential for saving the animals life when animal control or shelters are not left with an additional animal to find room for under their watch.

How microchips work:
Each microchip contains a registration number and the phone number of the registry for the particular brand of chip. The process to-date uses a handheld scanner to read the radio frequency of the chip. Once the scanner reads the chip it displays the microchip number. An animal shelter or vet clinic that finds your pet would contact the registry to get your name and phone number.

This concept re-imagines the current microchip reunification experience - merging technology, community + animal welfare.