Is your dog chipped? Don’t risk a £500 fine. Hundreds of thousands of dog owners could be fined for failing to microchip their pets.
Over one million dogs have not yet been microchipped, more than one in eight dogs out of the UK’s estimated canine population, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) said. From Wednesday 6 April, dog owners MUST make sure their pet is fitted with a microchip by the time it is eight weeks old, or face a fine of up to £500.
If a dog becomes lost or gets stolen and is picked up by a local authority or a shelter, the microchip can be scanned and matched to contact details stored on a database. Charities such as the Dogs Trust, some local councils and some vets will microchip dogs for free.
