February 2025
Ten Lives Cat Centre said today it has been forced to change the microchip registration provider for cats adopted through Ten Lives.
Ten Lives President Paula Wriedt said many people who have adopted a cat or kitten from Ten Lives would have their microchip registration with HomeSafeID.
“Unfortunately, HomeSafeID now appears to have gone out of business. Their phone numbers and emails have been inactive since mid-December, and neither staff nor the director can be reached. We have been working on this matter since that time.”
“This means our adoption clients may not have a current, searchable microchip registration sometime in the near future.”
Ms Wriedt said there would be around 9000 adopters through Ten Lives that have been registered with HomeSafeID.
Ms Wriedt said that the organisation has a new arrangement for future registrations.
Pet owners are required to maintain an up to date microchip registration and most importantly this is about safety and welfare of your pet cat. In the unfortunate event that your cat goes missing, microchipping helps you to be reunited with your pet.
“We have also created an online resource giving affected cat owners options to make a new registration with a new provider,” Ms Wriedt said.
“We have set up a dedicated email address to deal with enquiries to help people with this matter if they can’t locate their microchip details or are unsure of which provider they are registered.”
She said HomeSafeID had been the main registry used by Ten Lives since April 2017.
Ms Wriedt said at present HomeSafeID’s registration database is still functioning.
“Because our registration process is automated, new microchip registrations continue to be loaded. Adopters who have kept their confirmation of registration can still update their details. However, from our experience, many do not retain these details, meaning they will be unable to update their records.”
“This is affecting pet owners nationally.”
“Despite making inquiries and conducting ASIC searches, we have been unable to obtain any concrete information on HomeSafeID’s status. Letters sent to the director’s address have been returned to sender. We are still investigating the matter, but we are not optimistic.”
Ms Wriedt said the reality is that if HomeSafeID does not transfer its database to another provider 9000 Ten Lives clients may soon be without a current, searchable microchip record.
“We will continue to liaise with other affected animal welfare organisations on the mainland to ensure a coordinated response.”
Ten Lives has posted this information on its social media channels and created an online resource outlining clients’ option.
Ms Wriedt said the Cat Management Act 2009 in Tasmania requires that all cats over four months old be microchipped. The microchip must be implanted in a prescribed manner and the microchip implanter must enter the prescribed details into an approved database.