The Jockey Club has announced that Thoroughbred owners and breeders can now order microchip scanners directly from Pet Travel through a link on Interactive Registration at registry.jockeyclub.com.
The Datamars Compact Max Universal Scanner, manufactured by Datamars and marketed and distributed by Pet Travel, is available for $249.
In August 2015, The Jockey Club's board of stewards voted to change certain provisions of the "Principle Rules and Requirements of the American Stud Book" and microchips will become a requirement for registration for foals of 2017 and later. This enables microchips to be phased in on a voluntary basis for foals of 2016. Breeders and owners will need to establish appropriate procedures with their veternarians as well as establish identifiers and acquire a microchip reader.
"Countries such as England, Ireland, France, South Africa, Australia and others have instituted microchips as a requirement for registration for several years now," said Rick Bailey, registrar of The Jockey Club. "Identifiers at the various racetracks in North America have also reported the microchip to be reliable in confirming identity from the runners importing from Europe, Asia, and other parts of the world."
Microchips are available upon request on a Live Foal Report for foals of 2016 and will be distributed for all foals of 2017. There is no increase to the registration fee for either foal crop.
When coupled with the review for written markings, the use of microchips improves the efficiency and reliability of the identification process for all Thoroughbreds, even for those who do not make it to the racetrack, The Jockey Club said.
The Jockey Club recommends microchips be implanted by a veterinarian or under the supervision of a veterinarian.
A comprehensive section of The Jockey Club Registry's website features an FAQ (frequently asked questions) pertaining to microchips. It is available at registry.jockeyclub.com/registry.cfm?page=dotRegistryHelpDeskMicroFAQ