UK Dog Owners Asked To Microchip Their Pets Or Face A Fine

With the aim to improve animal welfare and reduce the number of strays, microchipping of dogs will be obligatory in England starting April 6. Owners who will refuse to comply may face fines of up to £500.

The Telegraph reported that the introduction of compulsory microchipping will be strictly imposed early next month to nearly 1.5 million dog owners in the United Kingdom. The new law obliged all dogs, aged eight weeks and up, to be implanted with a chip under the skin.

The chip comes in a size of a grain of rice and carries a unique 15-digit code that can be read only by a handheld scanner. Microchipping normally costs around £10 to £30, however, some charities are offering the procedure for free.

The Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs estimated that 83 percent of dog owners have so far complied with the requirements. However, there are 1.45 million dog owners who have not done so and may be fined up to £500 if they will continue to neglect their responsibilities.

"Microchipping our dogs will not only reunite people with their lost or stolen pets, but also help to tackle the growing problem of strays roaming the streets and relieve the burden on animal charities and local authorities," Animal Welfare Minister George Eustice said in an article of the Daily Mail. He explained that there are more than 102,000 unwanted or unclaimed dogs in Britain every year and the new law could help local authorities and charities to save by identifying their owners.

"Losing a dog is an extremely upsetting time for both dog and dog owner and microchipping increases the likelihood that a dog will be reunited with its owner... making it an essential part of animal welfare law in England," said Paula Boyden, veterinary director of the Dogs Trust. She disclosed that last year, there were 47,596 unclaimed and unwanted dogs that were left in council kennels across the UK and these dogs would have been sent home if their owners could be identified.