With only a few days to go until the new laws governing the microchipping of dogs in England, we have been flat-out implanting microchips in preparation.
The new law comes into force on 6 April. After that date, it will be an offence to own a dog that does not have a correctly registered microchip in place.
Pet microchips are implanted under the skin between the shoulder blades. The chip contains a unique number which is used to record the owner’s details on a national database.
Microchips help Vets in general Practice because they allow us to quickly identify the owner of an injured animal that is brought in to the surgery. By contacting the database with the pet’s microchip number, we are able to contact the owner, update them on the condition of their pet and obtain their consent to give the necessary emergency treatment.
The legislation which results in the ownership of all dogs being easily established can be used in the case of a dog attack. When ownership can be established, the owner can be held responsible for the actions of his or her dog.
Obviously the system would fail if the database does not accurately record the contact details of the dog owner so it is also a criminal offence not to maintain accurate and up-to-date contact details on the database.
All dogs over 8 weeks of age must comply by 6 April so time is running out if your dog is not currently microchipped.
At Donaldson’s we are now using “mini-chips” which can be inserted through a much smaller needle than the conventional chip and this makes for a more straightforward and less painful process. No anaesthetic is required and the chip can be inserted in a couple of seconds so act now to stay on the right side of the law. Donaldson’s Vets current price for microchipping, including lifetime registration, is only £19.99
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