Like so many other responsible pet owners, I had my dogs microchipped and registered. We were told this was a safety net, a promise of reunion if ever they were lost or taken. Yet, here I am, devoid of their companionship as we believe they were taken from us. 

The microchip system in place is fractured. My dogs are listed on a stolen pet database, but this information is not shared or checked state-wide. If they were turned into a vet clinic or animal shelter outside of our home state of Victoria, there would be no red flag, no identifier labeling them as stolen. Most vets only examine microchips when pets are brought in as strays, leaving pet thieves a free pass.

A single, national microchip database for pets closes this loophole. It aids in reuniting lost pets with their families, ensures stolen pets are flagged regardless of state, and deters potential thieves by increasing the chances of their being caught. This straightforward measure can prevent thousands of pets from going unfound and uncompensated each year. It is a security blanket for our beloved pets and a weight lifted off the frantic hearts of owners.

Join me in this fight for a unified front in pet protection. In memory of my taken dogs, I urge the government to bring into action a national microchip database for pets. We ask not just for the peace of our minds but for the safety of our pets. Please sign this petition and move us one step closer to a nationwide system that leaves no pet unclaimed, no owner heartbroken.

PART OF MY STORY: (Taken from Facebook)

Did you know there isn't a single, unified national microchip database for pets in Australia?
And did you know that it isn't mandatory for vets to scan microchips in new patients? In Victoria alone there are 6 accredited microchip database companies!
I'm reaching out to ask for your help in petitioning the federal government to create a single, unified database. This would streamline the process for all vets and councils, making it much easier for us to reunite with our lost pets.
After my recent news article with ABC Central Victoria aired across their website, social media, and radio, I’ve received numerous comments from people who believe there’s already a national database. Many pet owners mistakenly think that microchipping alone guarantees their pets will be found and returned if they go missing. Unfortunately, this isn’t the case. While many microchips in Victoria are linked to Central Animal Records, there are still six accredited companies operating in the state.
“Central Animal Records is the largest companion animal microchip registry in Australia with over 5 million animals and 3.8 million owners listed on the database and has been responsible for facilitating over 2.3 million reunions of lost pets with their owners!”
However, just because Central Animal Records is prominent in Victoria and Queensland doesn’t mean it’s used nationwide.
New South Wales has made progress with its Digital Pet Registry, but this has created challenges for those outside NSW. For example, ACT vets can’t access the NSW registry, and people living near state borders might face issues with the inability to be on dual microchip registers.
Our goal should be to establish a compulsory national database, similar to the NSW Digital Pet Registry or a company Central Animal Records, through federal law. We need a simpler, more efficient and NATIONAL system that doesn’t require vets and council workers to navigate multiple databases.
Please take a moment to sign this petition and help us push for a unified national database. If I can’t get my own pets back (and I haven’t given up hope yet), perhaps we can prevent this from happening to someone else.
Thank you for your support!