My pet's microchip is still in the breeder's or previous owner's name

This is very common, and it's easy to fix. Until the microchip is transferred, any vet or council that scans your pet will contact the previous owner, not you, so it's worth doing straight away.

There are three ways to sort it out, depending on who starts the transfer.

Option 1: The breeder starts it (cheapest)

If the chip was implanted in the last 2 months, ask the breeder to start the transfer from their CAR account. It's free for chips starting with 956 and $4.50 for other chips.

Option 2: The previous owner starts it

The previous owner logs in and clicks Transfer Pet, either on the pet under My Animals or in the left-hand menu. They enter your details, including a valid email address, and either pay $10 or choose for you to pay. You'll then get an email asking you to accept it. In Victoria, the transfer completes once you confirm your package, or automatically after 5 days. In every other state, the pet stays in the previous owner's name until you accept it, so keep an eye on your inbox (including junk and spam).

Option 3: You start it yourself

You don't need the previous owner's help to begin. Log in or create a free account, choose Add New Pet, enter the microchip number and follow the change of ownership steps. Transfers start from $18.99 online. The previous owner is asked to approve it, and if they don't respond, it completes automatically after 23 days. To speed things up, let the previous owner know to look out for our notification and approve it. For the full steps, see How to transfer a microchip into your name.

Special situations

The vet listed the wrong owner. If the clinic listed your pet in the last 2 weeks, ask the clinic to email us the signed paperwork showing you as the owner, and we'll correct it free of charge.
You don't know who the previous owner is, or can't get their signature. That's fine. Start the transfer online (Option 3) and we'll contact the listed owner to ask for their approval.
The pet is listed as missing or stolen. It can't be transferred online. Contact us at info@car.com.au or call 03 9706 3187 (Monday to Friday, 8:30am to 5:00pm).

Good to know

Privacy works both ways. We can't give you the previous owner's contact details, and when we contact them, we only tell them we've received a request to change ownership. We never tell them who asked or give out your details.
Your pet's details update once the transfer is complete.
Track your transfer under My Animals > Pending Transfers.