Chip My Dog – A FREE microchipping service provided by Dogs Trust
Dogs Trust has committed to ensuring that no dog gets left behind when compulsory microchipping is introduced. We will therefore offer free microchipping for all dogs at our twenty rehoming centres across the UK. This is by appointment and the offer is permanent. We will also offer chipping through our roaming chipping teams at events up and down the country. No appointments are needed for these events, and they will run until the legislation comes into force.
For more information, people should visit www.chipmydog.org.uk. This website, run by Dogs Trust, is a unique “one-stop-shop” for all microchipping queries. Members of the public are now just a click away from a wealth of information on this important element of dog welfare, including:
- Details of free microchipping activity across the UK
- Advice on how to update microchip details with a click-through function to UK databases
- Guidance on the upcoming change of law
- Advice on what to do if you have lost or found a dog
- Frequently Asked Questions on all elements of microchipping
So, if you are looking to get your pooch microchipped, check out where your nearest free microchipping services are, or see what upcoming micorchipping events are taking place near you over on Chip My Dog today!
Microchipping your dog is the easiest way to identify it if lost or stolen. Therefore, if you haven’t got your dog microchipped already, now is the time to get it sorted! Microchipping for dogs has been compulsory by law in Northern Ireland since 2012, and now England, Wales, and Scotland will each introduce compulsory microchipping laws for all dogs in April 2016.
Keep reading to learn more about the importance of microchipping your pooch, and how Dogs Trust are here to help you get your dog microchipped for FREE in your local area.
What is a microchip?
The microchip is the size of a grain of rice and is implanted under the animal’s skin between the shoulder blades. The process is quick and easy and the dog does not feel the chip after it has been inserted. Once implanted correctly the microchip is unlikely to fail and so provides lifelong permanent identification.
It is vital to remember that the microchip number itself is meaningless. Owners need to register the microchip number as well as their details with an appropriate computerised database. It is essential that the databases are kept up to date and that dog owners update their personal details where necessary, such as after a change of address. This requirement is enshrined in the English Microchipping Regulations and, as such, if an owner fails to keep their details updated their dog will not be considered microchipped. The owner will thus be in breach of the law.
Benefits of microchipping
The most important reason for microchipping is to enable a lost or stray dog to return promptly to its owner. Permanent identification has a number of advantages over the use of a collar and tag. Some dogs do not have their collar on at all times, and dogs stolen from owners’ premises are likely to have their collars removed. Permanent identification is effective at all times and is impossible to alter and extremely difficult to remove. Other benefits include:
- The ability to rapidly identify a stray or lost dog and return it to its owner, so reducing kennel time.
- Rapid return allows local authority officers to emphasise to dog owners that straying is not acceptable. This education will lessen the likelihood of a dog straying again and reinforce the responsibilities of the owners under animal welfare legislation.
- All puppies can be traced to their breeder. This helps reduce the problem of puppy farming and lessens the incidence of infectious disease and inherited defects from which many of these dogs suffer.
- Deterrent to dog theft.
How much does it cost to microchip a dog?
Currently, vets tend to charge approximately £20-£30 to microchip. However, several animal welfare charities provide a reduced price microchipping service at their centres.
