Description
TASSO is a German non-profit pet registry where owners record their dog’s or cat’s microchip number for free, so that a vet, shelter or finder can trace the owner when the animal is found.
The registered association TASSO-Haustierzentralregister für die Bundesrepublik Deutschland e.V. is based in Eschborn near Frankfurt and is funded by donations. It has worked for more than 35 years and holds more than 10 million registered animals. Registration and its other services cost nothing.
A microchip on its own identifies nobody: as TASSO puts it, chipping a dog or cat makes no sense without registering it. Owners enter the chip’s 15-digit number with their contact details, online or through the vet, and anyone who finds an animal can look the number up on the website. TASSO also runs shelta, an online shelter where thousands of animals from shelters look for new homes. The Deutscher Tierschutzbund runs a second free registry, FINDEFIX, and the federal chamber of vets names both.
Strengths
- Registration and the search for a lost animal are free, with no subscription.
- With more than 10 million animals registered, a found animal is likely to be checked against it.
- The shelta platform lists animals from shelters, as an alternative to buying from a breeder.
Weaknesses
- Germany has two separate free registries, TASSO and FINDEFIX, so a finder may have to check both.
- There is no nationwide duty to register, so a chipped animal is traceable only if its owner signs up.
- The founding year and annual accounts were not found on the pages checked.
Who it is for
Dog and cat owners in Germany who have had their animal chipped, or are about to, and want it to be traceable if it runs away.