Compulsory Micro-chipping
By April 2016 it will be law for all dogs in England and Wales to be microchipped and registered on a microchip database. It is expected that Scotland will also renew their laws in this respect. Bay Vets tell us more.
Veterinary staff have always promoted the benefits of having your pet microchipped and ensuring your contact details are kept up to date with the national database company. Microchipping your pet is the best way to ensure they can be traced back to you should they get lost or stolen and thousands of pets every year are reunited with their worried owners thanks to the microchip.
It is distressing how many animals are brought into our surgeries as lost or injured and the owner cannot be contacted due to out-of-date contact information held with the database company or no other means of identification such as a collar tags or tattoo.
This new law means it will be a criminal offence if your dog does not have a microchip or the details registered to your dog on the microchip database are incorrect.
What will happen if my dog does not have a microchip?
If a dog is found not to have a microchip by the age of 8 weeks then the keeper may be served a notice requiring them to get the dog microchipped and registered on a microchip database within 21 days. If this notice is ignored then the keeper could be issued a £500 fine or an enforcer could seize the dog and get it microchipped at the expense of the keeper.
What will happen if my dog is not registered on a database or the details are incorrect?
If a dog is found to be registered on a microchip database with incorrect details then the keeper may be served a notice requiring them to update the registered details within 21 days. If this notice is ignored then the keeper could be issued a £500 fine.
When should a puppy be microchipped?
All puppies should be microchipped by the age of 8 weeks and BEFORE transfer from the breeder to the first registered keeper (the breeders details will remain attached to the database once the new keepers details are amended.) When purchasing a puppy you must ensure that it is microchipped and registered to the breeder on the microchip database; you must then ensure the registration is transferred to you with all the correct contact details. We recommend puppies are microchipped between 6 and 8 weeks of age.
How do I know if my details are correct?
To check you details on the database you will need to know the microchip number and the database your pet is registered on. You can call the database provider and ask them to check the details for you. Your veterinary practice can scan your pet to ensure the microchip is working and provide you with the microchip number and appropriate telephone number to ring.
Remember – All species can be micro-chipped so while the law will only cover dogs, it is important to microchip all pets especially cats with their natural curiosity and tendency to wander.
HALF PRICE MICROCHIPPING at BAY VETS
If done at the same time as any consultation or vaccination appointment at Bay Vets. FOR A LIMITED TIME ONLY, BOOK NOW.