PetLink Microchip Registry Integration

The PetLink integration lets you register pet microchips directly with PetLink, one of the largest microchip registries in the US. No more hopping between tools when you want to make sure a pet can find its way home.

Overview

With the PetLink integration you can validate microchip codes, register new chips, submit transfer-capable registrations for Animal Professional accounts, and track PetLink payment/response metadata.

Limitations

Important: PawPlacer does not collect PetLink payments. If PetLink reports payment is due, PawPlacer stores the returned payment metadata so your team can follow up in PetLink.

Note: PetLink has confirmed that post-registration pet and owner edits are not available through the API. Check pet and owner details carefully before submission.

Transfers: PetLink can process transfers through the submit action in some cases, but only for Animal Professional accounts such as rescues and shelters. Vet accounts cannot perform transfers.

Getting Started

Prerequisites

Before using the PetLink integration, you'll need:

1. An active PetLink Animal Professional account with API access enabled
2. Your PetLink login credentials (email and password)
3. PetLink-compatible microchips

Configuring Your PetLink Account

1. Navigate to Settings > Microchip Registry
2. Expand the "PetLink Connection" section
3. Enter your PetLink account email address
4. Enter your PetLink password
5. Optionally enter your PetLink shelter ID/email and vet ID/email
6. Click "Test Connection" to verify your credentials and save them if the test succeeds
7. Or click "Save" to store credentials without running the connection test

Your password is encrypted before being stored and is never visible after saving.

Note: Use your Animal Professional account credentials, not a personal owner account. Vet accounts can be validated for attribution, but cannot submit transfers.

Creating a Microchip Registration

Starting a New Registration

1. Navigate to Settings > Microchip Registry
2. Click "Add Microchip"
3. Complete the registration form
4. Click "Save" to create a draft registration

Linking to a Pet

Registrations must be linked to an existing pet in PawPlacer:

1. In the "Pet Information" section, click the pet selector
2. Search for and select the pet
3. Pet details (name, breed, color, etc.) will be auto-filled

If the pet is not in PawPlacer yet, create the pet first, then return here to register the microchip.

Required Fields

Pet Information

• Pet (select an existing pet)
• Microchip code (9, 10, or 15 digits)
• Promotion code (optional)
• Pet name
• Birth date
• Primary breed

Owner Information

• Email (becomes their PetLink login)
• First name
• Last name
• Primary phone
• Address line 1
• City
• State (US)
• Postal code
• Accept PetLink terms

Important: The owner's email address cannot be changed after submission. Double-check it before registering. The owner email must be a PetLink owner account, not a shelter/vet (Animal Professional) account.

Additional Pet Fields

Registration Workflow

Status Flow

Step 1: Validate the Microchip

1. Open your draft registration
2. Click "Validate Microchip"
3. Wait for validation to complete

Validation checks:

• Microchip code format is valid
• Prepaid/payment metadata from PetLink
• Microchip isn't already registered to another owner

Step 2: Submit to PetLink

After successful validation:

1. Review all information carefully
2. Click "Submit to PetLink"
3. Confirm the submission

Warning: All information (pet and owner details) is final after submission and cannot be changed via PawPlacer. To make changes after submission, contact PetLink support directly.

Validation Errors

Already Registered Microchips

When validation returns "Already registered," PawPlacer marks the registration as Transfer Required. PetLink's submit action can perform a transfer in some cases for Animal Professional accounts. Vet accounts cannot perform transfers.

How to Submit a Transfer

1. Open the registration in PawPlacer
2. Review the pet and owner details carefully
3. Click "Submit Transfer"
4. Review the PetLink response

If PetLink rejects the transfer:

1. Call 1-877-PETLINK (1-877-738-5465)
2. Provide proof of ownership:
   • Adoption records
   • Vet records
   • Intake documentation
3. PetLink can confirm whether the account and chip are eligible for transfer

PetLink may also reject a transfer with sameOwner when the chip is already associated with the same owner context in PetLink. PawPlacer treats that as a rejected transfer and shows the PetLink response.

Common Transfer Scenarios

PetLink Support

• Phone: 1-877-PETLINK (1-877-738-5465)
• Website: petlink.net/support
• Hours: Monday-Friday, 8am-8pm ET

Have ready: microchip number, proof of ownership, shelter account information.

Test vs Production Environment

Production deployments always submit to PetLink's production system. Development environments can use PetLink's test environment for non-production testing.

Troubleshooting

Privacy and Security

• Credentials encrypted using AES-256-GCM
• Passwords never displayed after saving
• All transmissions use HTTPS
• Registration data only accessible to authorized team members

Support

• PetLink issues (account access, payments, transfers): Contact PetLink support
• PawPlacer integration issues: Contact PawPlacer support