KENILWORTH, N.J., [April 21, 2005] — The HomeAgain® Microchip Identification System is now recognized by the European Union (EU) as a fully accepted form of companion animal identification for pet owners traveling to EU member nations with their pets, Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation announced today.
The European Union’s “Pet Passport Law” requires that all pets traveling to EU member nations be implanted with a microchip for identification. The HomeAgain microchip is one of only three chips recognized under this regulation. Pet owners are not required to bring their own hand-held microchip scanner if their animals have a HomeAgain microchip and their animals will not be subject to quarantine.
“This announcement by the EU goes a long way toward clearing up confusion among U.S. pet owners regarding European travel with their pets,” said Hubert Trentesaux, Vice President, Global Companion Animal Division, Schering-Plough Animal Health Corp. “We are pleased to assure our HomeAgain customers that they can now confidently travel with their pets to all EU member countries.” HomeAgain is also accepted for pets traveling to Australia.
Since 1995, the HomeAgain Pet Recovery Service has been a leader in companion animal identification and lost pet recovery. Every month, approximately 7,000 lost pets that are microchipped with HomeAgain are reunited with their owners in the United States. With HomeAgain, a lost pet is successfully recovered approximately every 7 minutes. To date, more than 2.8 million pets in the U.S. have been implanted with a HomeAgain microchip, resulting in more than 250,000 successful recoveries.
Information for pet owners planning to travel internationally with their animals is available at: http://www.homeagainid.com/about/international.cfm.
About the Pet Passport Law
The Pet Passport Law, as dictated by the member nations of the European Union, calls for all companion animals entering the EU from any non-EU nation in a non-commercial manner (e.g. owner traveling with pet) to be accompanied by documentation proving there is an effective vaccination protection against rabies and implantation with an recognized microchip. Additionally, some EU members nations, including the United Kingdom, Ireland and Sweden, require an additional blood test for antibodies against rabies. For more information, U.S. pet owners planning to travel abroad with their animals can visit the USDA’s website at: http://www.aphis.usda.gov/vs/ncie.
About Schering-Plough
Schering-Plough Animal Health Corporation is the global animal health care business of Schering-Plough Corporation (NYSE:SGP).
Schering-Plough is a global science-based health care company with leading prescription, consumer and animal health products. Through internal research and collaborations with partners, Schering-Plough discovers, develops, manufactures and markets advanced drug therapies to meet important medical needs. Schering-Plough’s vision is to earn the trust of the physicians, patients and customers served by its more than 30,000 people around the world. The company is based in Kenilworth, N.J., and its Web site is www.schering-plough.com.
HomeAgain® is a registered trademark of Schering-Plough Veterinary Corporation.
For more information, visit: www.HomeAgainID.com and www.SPAH.com