Microchipping

*From 6 April 2016, microchipping of all dogs will be compulsory in England*

All dog owners in England, Wales and Scotland, must get their dogs microchipped by 6 April 2016 to ensure they are compliant with the law.

The owner of an unchipped dog will be given 21 days to comply and failure to do so may result in a fine of up to £500.

It is the responsibility of the owner to ensure that contact details for the dog/dogs are kept up to date to ensure a dog can be reunited with its owner in the event that it is lost or stolen.

Each year more than 300,000 much loved pets are lost, go missing or are stolen. Unfortunately there is no guarantee that a collar and ID tag will stay attached to your pet, where as once a microchip is implanted it, will stay with the animal for life. Click on the link at the side of the page to see a video on the microchipping process.

The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and contains a unique ID number. It can be very quickly and easily inserted under the skin of your animal through a needle. This can be done at any time and at any age; it doesn't require sedation or anaesthetic. The unique number on the microchip is then entered in a central database along with your name and contact details. Veterinary practices, RSPCA, the police and pet rescue organisations have a special hand held scanner that can read the unique code on the microchip and then contact the central database to obtain your contact details. Thus it is ESSENTIAL that you keep your contact details up to date with the database and this is the responsibility of the owner.

All stray animals are routinely scanned for a microchip by vets, rescue centres and dog wardens and if a microchip is present the owners can easily be reunited with their lost pet.

Not only does having your pet microchipped give you peace of mind, it is also a mandatory requirement before any Pet passports can be issued.

Pet owners are often pleasantly surprised at how little expense is involved in microchipping their pets, when there is so much to gain from doing so. The standard price for the implant including lifetime registration is £20, but if performed when your pet is having an operation (eg neutering) or if you see one of our skilled nurses, you can get the special discount price of £15.

Please contact the practice if you require any more information.