I am writing to request your support in introducing legislation I am calling “Cheddar’s Law”.  A law that would require every animal entering any veterinary clinic, for any reason, to be scanned for a microchip, not just those identified as strays.
On October 13th 2025, my beloved cat Cheddar Bob was stolen from Manchester Park in Chattanooga, Tennessee. Cheddar was both microchipped and wearing a GPS tracking harness. The person who took him removed his harness and discarded it, and since then, he has not been scanned by any veterinary office.  What many people do not realize…..something I learned the hard way is that veterinary clinics in Tennessee are only required to scan animals labeled as “strays.” If someone walks into a clinic with a stolen pet and simply claims ownership, most clinics do not scan the animal. This loophole leaves countless pets unprotected and makes microchips which responsible owners pay for far less effective than they should be.  This gap in policy enables theft, prevents lost pets from being returned to their families, and undermines the very purpose of microchipping. Microchips are supposed to be a permanent form of identification—yet without mandatory scanning, they offer no guaranteed protection.

Cheddar’s Law would:

• Require all veterinary clinics to scan every animal at intake, regardless of the circumstance

• Ensure that stolen or missing microchipped pets have a real chance of being returned home

• Reduce shelter overcrowding and municipal costs

• Protect pet owners’ property rights

• Create uniform statewide procedures and close a major loophole in current practice

This is a simple, fast, and low-cost step that could save thousands of pets from being lost forever. Cheddar is family to me, as pets are for so many Tennesseans. What happened to him should not be able to happen to anyone else.  I respectfully ask for your help in creating and supporting Cheddar’s Law, so no family has to experience what mine has endured. Microchips should be meaningful protection—not optional safeguards that depend on someone else’s honesty.

Thank you for your time, your service, and your willingness to consider this important issue.
Sincerely,

Rebecca Yarbrough