Dog and chips
From tomorrow, (Wednesday, April 6) it is a legal requirement that all dog owners in England, Wales and Scotland have their dogs microchipped and registered on a recognised database.
The owner of an unchipped dog which comes to the notice of the authorities 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 the contact details on the microchip database are kept up to date.
This will ensure a dog can be quickly reunited with its owner in the event that it is lost or stolen.
You can update your details by telephone, online or by post dependent upon which database the dog is registered with.
The UK microchip databases are:
Anibase 01904 487600
PetIdentity UK 0800 9751960
PetLog 01296 336579
Pet Protect 0800 0778558
Pettrac 0800 6529977
Smarttrac 0844 5420999
If you are unsure which database your dog is registered with or you don't know the chip number, you can ask your vet to scan your dog for the microchip to obtain these details.
If your dog is currently unchipped, please visit your vet who will be able to insert the chip and register the dog on a database for a small fee.
Alternatively, several welfare organisations such as The Dogs Trust are currently carrying out free microchipping.
After 6th April owners of dogs found by the police or local authorities not to have a microchip will be given a short period to comply with the legislation or face a fine of up to £500.
The Government has also amended the Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 extending the criminal offence of allowing a dog to be dangerously out of control so that it applies to all places, including private property. The previous legislation only made it an offence for the dog to be dangerously out of control in a public place. Many serious dog attacks on children occurred in a house or garden with the result that the police were unable to take action under the Act. Also the amendment to the Act will protect postmen, healthcare and professional utility workers visiting a house should they be attacked, but not intruders or burglars. The penalties under the Act will also be increased to a maximum penalty of 18 months imprisonment.
The Dangerous Dogs Act 1991 can be enforced by both the police and the local authority. In Wiltshire the police will lead on dog-on-human attacks and the Council will lead on dog-on-dog or other animal attacks.