Are your dog's microchip details up-to-date?
Dog owners are being reminded of the importance of making sure the information on their pet’s microchip is kept up-to-date.
Daventry District Council’s Dog Warden service is issuing the advice after coming across a number of cases recently in which a lost dog’s chip contained information for their owner’s old address – making it difficult to reunite them.
A microchip is a small electronic chip, around the size of a grain of rice, which is painlessly implanted under the dog's skin and contains a unique number that can be read by a scanner.
The dog owner's contact details are logged on a central database, so should the dog be found after going missing or being stolen it can be scanned and quickly returned to its owner.
Since April 2016 dog owners have been required by law to make sure their dog is microchipped, with those who fail to do so facing fines of up to £500.
As well as helping reunite owners with lost or stolen pets, microchipping also has a number of other welfare benefits, including:
Helping to prevent the theft of dogs
Allowing for easier identification of owners who are guilty of animal cruelty
Enabling vets and the Council to contact dog owners directly if a stray is found
Tackling the issue of stray dogs by promoting responsible dog ownership.
Councillor Richard Auger, Environmental Health and Housing Portfolio Holder on Daventry District Council, said: “Microchipping is the most effective tool for our officers to reunite dog owners with their lost pets. However, it’s only useful if the information on the chip is kept up-to-date, and it is the owner’s responsibility to ensure this is done. If you move house you must contact the database company that your dog is registered with and update your details.”
People are also being urged to ensure they properly report any stray dogs they find so they can be reunited with their owners.
If you have lost or found a dog, please contact Daventry District Council on 01327 871100. If you find a dog outside of normal office hours, or on a Saturday or Sunday, please contact Dunsmore Kennels on 024 7654 2566 or visit www.dunsmorekennels.com
Anyone who finds a dog during the evening or when the kennels are otherwise closed is advised to keep the dog overnight if they can, before contacting the kennels or the Council. Please ensure you do not put yourself at risk of being bitten or attacked by the dog if you are prepared to secure a dog overnight.
Please find out more at www.daventrydc.gov.uk/dogs