Pet owners warned they could face up to £2k fine if their dog isn’t micro chipped
Depending on where you live, not having your dog micro-chipped could cost you anywhere between £25 and £2,000
DOG OWNERS could be fined up to £2,000 for failing to microchip their pup.
An investigation by pet shop Pets At Home has found that council fines for not micro chipping your dog can vary between £25 to £2,000 depending on where you live.
Failing to get your furry friends registered with a microchip could land you with a hefty fine.
Having your dog micro chipped is required by law in UK and must be done before your puppy is eight weeks old.
It has been two years since the government introduced the microchip scheme and it is estimated that only one in eight dogs are micro chipped.
Getting a professional to micro chip your dog should cost around £15, so it is really worth doing as your council could charge you up to a staggering £2,000.
The council with the most severe fine for not having a dog micro chipped was the London Borough of Hounslow who charged £1,932.50 for failing to microchip a dog.
A spokesperson for Hounslow Council said: “It is for the Court to decide the level of fine issued and the Court will follow the Government’s penalty guidelines. The council has no say or involvement in fine setting."
The second highest fine from a council was Durham County Council who will fine you £564.54 for not having your canine friend chipped.
Whereas the smallest fine in the UK for not having your dog micro chipped came from the Isle of White Council who only charge £25.
Though the Isle of Wight Council also gave out 34 fines last year, the most fines of any council.
Kristina Shirley from veterinary charity the People's Dispensary For Sick Animals said: “One of the most heart-breaking scenarios is an injured animal brought to us who isn’t micro chipped, or the details aren’t up to date.
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"You know this pet has a loving owner who is probably fraught with worry, but there’s no way to let them know what has happened."
"Sadly, many pets in this situation can often end up in rescue centres because their owners are never found.”
“It’s a legal requirement for dogs here in the UK to be micro chipped. We also recommend cats are micro chipped as it’s the most reliable way of identifying them and improves the chances of them being returned if they are lost."
What is the law about getting my dog micro chipped and why do I have to do it?
THE government introduced compulsory micro chipping to make tracking down missing dogs easier and to make it simpler for local authorities to identify owners of dangerous dogs.
The cut off point to have your puppy micro chipped in the UK is when the dog is 8 weeks old.
After that you can be fined by your local council for not having your dog chipped.
As puppies aren't usually sold or taken away from their mothers before age 8 weeks this responsibilty falls on the dog's breeder.
So make sure whenever you buy a dog that the breeder has microchipped your puppy before you buy it.
If the breeder has not microchipped the dog then you should not but the puppy.
Once you have your puppy you must inform the database that tracks your dog if you change your contact details.
Who can micro chip my dog?
The microchip must be fitted by a trained proffessional ie a vet.
You can ask the following to microchip your dog for free:
- Battersea Dogs and Cats Home
- Blue Cross centres
- Dogs Trust
A vet or your local council will probably charge you a small fee for microchipping your dog.
What happens when my dog is micro chipped?
The micro chip is a small electronic device about the size of a grain of rice.
Though there are even smaller micro chips available if you have a small breed of dog.
The chip is injected using a sterile needle inbetween your dog's shoulder blades
The procedure is painless and requires no anasthetic.
Your dog’s microchip is given a number, which will show up whenever your dog is scanned.
The professional who microchips your dog will also take your contact details.
These details are kept alongside the microchip number on a database, so that your dog can be returned to you if it’s lost or stolen.
You must make sure that your dog is registered on one of the following databases (they all meet government standards):
- Animal Tracker
- Identibase
- MicroChip Central
- MicroDogID
- National Veterinary Data Service
- Pet Identity UK
- Petlog
- ProtectedPet
- Smartchip
- UK PETtrac
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