What happens if I reject a transfer request for a pet?
When a transfer is requested we'll reach out to confirm this with the registered keeper. This article explains what happens if that is rejected.
What happens when a transfer request is rejected?
Transferring the keepership of a pet only goes ahead when the current keeper confirms the transfer or 7 days pass with no response to emails and SMS notifications. The current keeper can reject the transfer.
This article explains what happens on both sides: if you're the keeper deciding whether to reject, and if you're the person who requested a transfer that's been rejected.
What does it mean to be the keeper?
Under UK law, the keeper is the person with whom the animal normally resides — whoever usually has and looks after the pet day to day. The keeper isn't necessarily the legal owner: someone can own a pet without being its keeper, and the other way around. (This definition comes from the Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023.)
The keeper's details are what we hold against the microchip, so they're the point of contact if the pet is ever scanned or found.
If you're the keeper and want to reject a request
If you've received a request to transfer your pet, weren't expecting it, and you're still the keeper, you can reject it.
- Rejecting stops the transfer. Click Reject this request and the transfer won't go ahead — you'll remain the registered keeper and your pet's record stays exactly as it is.
- It opens a support request for you. Rejecting automatically raises a support request so our team can look into where the request came from. There's nothing else you need to do — we may get in touch to confirm a few details.
- If you don't respond at all, we'll send a couple of reminders over the following week. If there's still no response after 7 days, the transfer completes automatically — so if you're still the keeper, reject the request rather than ignore the email.
- If you did mean to transfer your pet, no problem — just let us know by opening a support ticket and we'll help you get it sorted.
If your transfer request was rejected
If you asked to take over the keepership of a pet and the current keeper rejected the request, the transfer won't go ahead — the pet stays registered to its current keeper for now.
- When a request is rejected, we automatically open a support request so our team can look into it. We'll reach out to you asking for more information.
- For everyone's privacy, we don't share the current keeper's contact details with you, just as we don't share yours with them.
Please bear in mind that while we record who the keeper is, we can't settle questions of legal ownership; if there's a genuine dispute, that's a civil matter to be resolved between the people involved.
We keep a permanent record MyPet holds a permanent record of every keeper an animal has had, including any transfers — whether confirmed, rejected, or disputed. This history can't be erased, which protects everyone: there's always a clear, traceable record of who has been responsible for a pet and how its registration has changed over time.
Still need a hand? Visit our Help Centre or open a support ticket.