Shutdown of Pet Microchip Company Could Affect Lost Pets

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Texas-based microchip company, Save This Life, has recently shut down without any notice to its users or a reason why. 

The American Animal Hospital Association recently notified customers that they have taken Save This Life off its Microchip Registry Lookup, a tool to search what company a pet's microchip is linked to, after many attempts to contact and find out what was going on at the company.

Staff at Berkshire Humane Society told us how much this could impact people if their pet gets out and is not registered.

"If it's Save This Life, then if your dog or cat gets lost, there's no way of reaching you so you have to register with a different company," said shelter manager Cheryl Truskowski.

According to AAHA, if your pet's microchip starts with 991 or 900164 you may need to register your pet again. If you are unsure where your pet's microchip is registered, Berkshire Humane Society says you can come by and have it checked.

"If they don't know if they have a microchip that's based to [Save This Life], I'd be more than happy to scan their dog or cat and give them the number and I can look it up for them and find out where it's registered to," she said.

Truskowski said some pet owners don't realize their pets are not properly registered. 

"The drawbacks of microchips -- their great, I love them, they work -- but when they are not registered to the owner it's extremely frustrating because now I have a dead end," she said. "That's the drawbacks of the microchips people don't update their registration or they don't register it in the first place."

It's important for you to always check to make sure your pet's microchip is up to date on contact information to reunite you with your pet if they go missing.

BuddyID is offering a free registration until Feb. 28 if your pets were affected by this shut down.

If you find that your pet's microchip needs to be changed make sure you reach out to a company to get it changed as soon as you can.

Suspect Arraigned in 'Horrific' Dragging Case

By Brittany PolitoiBerkshires Staff
12:56PM / Wednesday, February 18, 2026

Complete write-thru 3 p.m., Feb. 18.

District Attorney TimothyShugrue says the community has been 'really upset' by this case. 

PITTSFIELD, Mass. — A Hancock man has been charged in last week's gruesome dragging that killed 69-year-old William Colbert. 

 

William Gross, 65, was arraigned in Central Berkshire District Court on Wednesday for negligent motor vehicle homicide and leaving the scene. He was arrested Monday after police investigators narrowed down the type of car seen on video at the accident scene. 

 

Police say Colbert had fallen in the road at the Francis Avenue and Linden Street intersection on Feb. 10 before he was struck and dragged nearly four miles. His body was found on West Housatonic Street.

 

Gross is being held on $250,000 cash bail in the Berkshire County House of Corrections. District Attorney Timothy Shugrue said the case will go to a grand jury and foresees additional charges being placed. 

 

"I think this community was really upset by this case," Shugrue said while being interviewed by the press after the morning arraignment.  

 

"It's a horrific case, and the fact that someone was fleeing, and there was someone that was stuck there that could have been treated, and potentially in the initial stages, could have been potentially saved." 

 

Colbert was coming from a house on Francis Avenue about 11:30 on Feb. 10 when fell in the road and had trouble getting up, according to Shugrue.