DOGdex ID™ Terms & Conditions

DOGdex is a database of Dogs from around the United States based on DNA Genotyping Technology. The following terms and conditions apply to all private ID purchases. Municipal Certified IDs are subject to the terms of each municipality.

DOGdex ID does not guarantee the safe return of any individual dog.

DOGdex ID should never be the primary source of identification. Dogs should always have collars with either a municipal registration or the owners contact information.

DOGdex ID is the backup plan, the safety net when traditional methods are not present and dogs cannot be identified. The system provides a backup plan when traditional IDs are not effective. A very good backup plan but could never 100% match rate 100% f the time..

DNA ID matching is much slower than traditional ID programs such as collars or microchips. To understand, please consider human ID systems. You would never go to the bank and offer your fingerprint or DNA sample as ID to withdraw cash. However in cases of lost identity, amnesia or even death, that is exactly how the ID is done. Of course this takes much longer than just showing a drivers license.

So we encourage everyone to use other forms of ID in addition to their DOGdex ID.

When samples are submitted by participating shelters the ID matching relies on the quality of the sample. It is the sole responsibility of the collecting party to provide a good quality sample to insure that an accurate DNA match can be made.

While the DOGdex Lab has the most up to date technology in place we are dependent on the end users to provide clean, substantive saliva or buccal samples for testing. Contaminated samples could prevent the possibility of a match.

If the protocols we have in place are followed carefully, there should never be a problem in achieving a match. However, if the initial collection was flawed or the subsequent collection from the lost dog is flawed a match may not always be possible.

There is always room for error in any process which involves human intervention. While this process is seemingly flawless mistakes do happen, samples get lost in the mail or someone tested a dog just after feeding them providing a DNA sample of the dogs food and not the dog itself.

If a sample is not viable or does not amplify correctly during PCR, dogs can be retested and new samples can be run. But in some cases of contaminated samples, it may not be possible to conclude that the amplified DNA was not from the desired source.

When a match is made and a dog is returned to the owner, it is the owners responsibility to cover the testing costs. A fee less than or equal to the initial testing cost will be added to the recovery fees charged by the shelter to cover the cost of the secondary DNA testing.

Owners consent to access of data by law enforcement or municipal services for the purposes of location of the owners of any particular dog.

All DNA data is the sole property of the dog owners who agree to grant an unconditional license to DOGdex ID for use in the DOGdex programs.

Data provided to dog owners is limited to the finalized Allele values for amplified markers. Not all markers will amplify in all breeds so there is no implied guarantee that a full set of 14 markers will be provided for every dog.

Genetic matching is done based on the available data and a complete set of markers in not required to make a positive match.

Sibling matches and zygotic twins can often return partial results and similar matches that may be mistaken for the dog in question. This information can sometimes be used to locate a dog that is not in the database. For example, tracking a sibling to a breeder and asking for details about a particular litter of puppies can often give us ownership information indirectly.

Owners agree that DOGdex may contact them in these instances when trying to locate a sibling match in an effort to gather data and locate the actual owner of your pets siblings.

DOGdex will never share or sell any customers information for the purpose of marketing or advertising.

DOGdex may contact owners directly in the pursuit of operating the DOGdex ID system, verifying information or alerting them to changes in the program, processes or policies.

DOGdex reserves the right to update these terms and conditions at any time without notice.