By
April 2016 every dog owner in England will be legally required to have their
dog microchipped.
From
that date, every puppy born will need to be microchipped by the breeder by the
time they are 8 weeks old (other than in exceptional circumstances).
It
will also be a requirement for every dog owner to ensure their dog’s microchip
details are kept up to date on a government compliant database.
The
Kennel Club and other animal welfare organisations have long supported
compulsory microchipping in order to aid the reunification of lost dogs with
their owners. There have been too many examples of much loved family pets being
put down before the owner can be found.
The
vast majority of people, including responsible dog-owners, will welcome these
new requirements. I rather suspect that they will not be welcomed by
irresponsible dog-owners and backyard breeders.
The
compulsory microchipping legislation hopes to tackle:
·
The 100,000 dogs that are either stray, lost or stolen each year
·
The huge kennelling costs - Local authorities and welfare charities
spending around £57 million per year on kennelling costs
·
The 50% of strays that cannot be returned because their owners cannot be
identified
·
The 6,000 dogs that are put down each year because the owner cannot be
found
For
these reasons microchipping is already popular amongst the majority of dog
owners as it is a safe, quick, painless and cheap procedure.
However,
if, for whatever reason, you haven’t had your pet microchipped, this is a
timely reminder to do it. And, if you’ve moved home or changed your contact
details, have you also remembered to update the database so that you will
comply with the law? Do it now.
Whilst
we are on the subject of animals and the law, there were a number of things
missing from the Queen’s Speech.
David
Cameron again promised new laws to ban wild animals in circuses. A Bill was
prepared in the last session but never introduced to parliament. I’ll be
pursuing him about this.
The
Conservative manifesto also committed to giving Parliament the opportunity to
repeal the Hunting Act on a free vote. No sign of it. Good.
