Petlog accused of mishandling details of customers and pets

A database migration appears to have caused a data breach, with pet owners able to see other people's details and potentially register their pets as their own

Thousands of Petlog customers - the company responsible for holding details on microchipped pets in the UK - have had a nasty surprise, after finding that a database change has wiped the details of their beloved pets from their accounts.

Many pet owners have complained on Facebook that they were unable to see their pets' information after logging into the Petlog system - or saw someone else's.

One dog owner told the BBC that, on logging in, he found the details of another man with the same name, including an address and phone number.

"This seems like a massive breach of GDPR," Mr Plant told the BBC.

"In theory I could register his dog to my address and claim him as mine."

Mr Plant said that he sent numerous messages and calls to Petlog, but none of them were answered.

Petlog has a message on its website asking customers to create a new online account, but does not explain why they need to do so.

The message reads, 'We have upgraded our online services and website to ensure the database is dynamic and secure, we would like to reassure our customers that all data has been safely and securely migrated and reunification services are not impacted by this transition. Further information and a step-by-step guide for our customers is available at petlog.org.uk/faqs.'

The FAQ page adds, 'If you have not created an account on our website since March 2021, please use our step-by-step guide on how to create an account'.

Several users have complained that their login details are no longer working.

Petlog, managed by the Kennel Club, is one of the largest databases for microchipped animals in the UK. The firm claims to have over 13.4 million pets' details registered on the Petlog database. Petlog's database is linked to the European Pet Network, which includes 32 databases - giving people a better chance of finding their pets in case they are lost, even in another country.

In a statement to the BBC, a Petlog spokesperson said that no pet details had vanished from the Petlog database, and were "safely migrated" to the new system.

"We reassure all customers that their pets are safely on our microchip database," the firm said.

It added that some people may face issues in finding the information if their pet details had changed or if the details were never verified when they were first entered on the database. In such cases, further verification would be carried out.

The firm also stated that customers do not need to re-register their pets, although they must follow steps to set up a new online self-serve account.

"There are some customers who may be unable to immediately view their pets' details when they set up their new online account, but this is because we are committed to protecting their data, and we want to verify details, in some cases, before we continue the online set up process."

The spokesperson said that the changes would not affect the reunification process if a pet goes missing, and that the firm's 24/7 lost and found line and reunification services were running normally, whether or not a user has created an online self-serve account.