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Reunited with Buster the lost dog after almost 7 months! Microchips work!

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This is our story of losing our little dog Buster and the journey we took to find him again. Please have your animals micro-chipped, get that chip registered, and please take any found animal to someone who can scan them for a chip....someone is probably looking for them!

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Law around microchipping

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From today (6 April 2016) it will be compulsory for owners to ensure their dog is microchipped.

Lost or stray dogs will be reunited with their owners thanks to new microchipping laws which come into effect to improve dog welfare today.

Under the new measures all owners must ensure their dog is microchipped and their details are kept up to date. Not only will this mean the UK's 8.5 million dogs can be returned to their owners more quickly if they wander too far from home, but it will also make it easier to track down the owners of dogs that carry out attacks on people.

Already over 86% of responsible dog owners have had their pets painlessly implanted with a microchip and their details updated on a national database. This is vital to reunite over 102,000 dogs which are picked up from our streets having strayed or been stolen every year.

We also expect local authorities and charities, which would otherwise feed, kennel and home dogs, to make £33 million in annual savings were these dogs microchipped and returned to owners.

Commenting on the new law which comes into effect today, Animal Welfare Minister George Eustice said:

Every responsible dog owner wants to know their pet is safe. Microchipping 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 placed on animal charities and local authorities.

We are a nation of dog lovers and microchipping is crucial for both good dog welfare and to provide dog owners with peace of mind.

From today (6 April 2016) owners of dogs found by the police or local authorities not to have a microchip will have the benefits explained to them and be given a short period to comply with the microchipping law. If they do not, they could face a fine of up to £500.

Already 7.34 million dogs are microchipped in the UK. This is a 25% increase since we consulted on the law in 2012.

According to the latest regional statistics South East, East Midlands and North West dog owners are leading the pack in taking action to chip their dog, with over one million, 959,000 and almost 900,000 dogs chipped, respectively. In the South West over 717,000 have added their details, followed by 648,000 in the West Midlands and 510,000 in the North East. Busy Londoners are trailing behind with an estimated 485,000 dog details added.

Additional information

Find out how to get your dog microchipped including how to get this done for free

Visit our Facebook page at www.facebook.com/Chipmydog

Read the background to the new microchipping laws

Thank you for your feedback

Report a problem with this page

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Compulsory dog microchipping comes into effect

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Event Flyer

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process

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Under the new rules all dogs aged eight weeks or more must be microchipped.

Don't let your pet get lost

Any owner in England and Wales whose dog is found to be without a microchip faces a £500 fine unless they fit one within 21 days.

Despite this, hundreds of thousands of pet owners are estimated to have failed to do so, according to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

That means as many as one in eight still need to microchip their animals or risk being fined by their local authority.

But what many may not realise is that it is actually fairly cheap to microchip dogs.

Here is everything you need to know about microchipping your pet.

How much does a microchip cost?

Microchips may sound expensive but they are actually pretty cheap at between £10 and £20 each.

Your contact details along with the microchip number are then logged on the National PetLog database.

Some local animal charities and organisations may also offer microchip services - some even free of charge like DogsTrust.

Where can I get my dog microchipped?

The chip is easily fitted by any vet and even some pet stores.

Pets At Home currently offer a microchip fitting service for just £10 until 15 April 2016. After that date, costs are around £15 per animal.

To find your nearest store see the Pets At Home website.

Which pets can be microchipped?

While it is only compulsory to microchip a dog, cats and rabbits can also be easily microchipped.

Where does the microchip go?

The microchip is inserted under the skin on the base of your animal's neck.

How does the microchip get read?

You need to register your details with the microchip number - so whenever the microchip is scanned the dog's owner can easily be traced.

Microchips can be scanned at most vetinary surgeries. If you are buying a rescue dog or older animal it is always worth checking if your pet already has a chip or not.

If you move home, you should make sure your address details are changed on the microchip too. Otherwise the chip will be rendered useless and your pet could be lost forever.

How to change address or owner on dog microchip

Contact your local vet, who will be able to scan the chip and find out the microchip number.

Contact either PETtrac to update the address on the database or Both these should also be able to help with any change of ownership of an animal.

If buying a puppy, you are likely to have to do a change of ownership from the original breeder.

MORE: Why you shouldn't microchip your dog, according to a leading vet

MORE: 3D printing and the DNA microchip: The best of the European Inventor Award

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Dog microchip cost: Everything you need to know about microchipping your pet

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Under the new rules all dogs aged eight weeks or more must be microchipped. Any owner in England and Wales whose dog is found to be without a microchip faces a £500 fine unless they fit one within 21 days.

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Process involved in microchipping

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Dogs trust free

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Dog Microchipping Questions & Answers | Dogs Trust

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With the forthcoming UK law that all dogs must be microchipped there are still plenty of dog owners who don't understand the basics of how microchipping actually works.

We therefore decided to interview a qualified UK microchipper, to find a little more about how dogs are microchipped, what the risks are, and what you need to do afterwards as the owner.

What Are The Benefits of Microchipping Your Dog?

Putting aside the forthcoming legal requirements to microchip your dog, microchipping makes a lot of sense for dog owners. For example, if your dog ever ran away (or got stolen) then possessing a microchip can help the police, vets or dog wardens to safely return your pet to you. Having your pet microchipped can also be useful for proving "ownership" of your pet if ever there is a disagreement over whether a certain dog really is yours.

In essence microchips offer a valuable safety-net in the case of problems. Don't assume that just because your dog wears a collar with a tag that they are fully protected. Collars can get lost or damaged - or even be maliciously removed - while removing a microchip after insertion is almost impossible. As a result it is a far more secure solution to identifying your pet.

How to Pet Microchips Work?

In contrast to what some pet owners think, standard microchips aren't GPS trackers. If your dog runs away, you certainly won't be able to tap the microchip number into a computer and track his or her exact whereabouts.

Only when a dog is caught by a professional will the data be read. This is done by scanning a dog using a simple handheld scanner. As microchips are always fitted in the same places, it is a quick and simple job to check whether or not a dog has a microchip and - if it does - to reunite it with its owner.

Microchips don't require a battery to work, and normally have a lifespan much longer than that of a dog. Therefore the chances of needing to replace a microchip are almost minimal once it has been fitted.

How and Where Are Microchips Inserted?

In dogs, most microchips are fitted between the shoulders. There is plenty of tissue and other "meat" in this area, while the skin is relatively loose. The microchipper simply "pinches" the skin gently, inserts the microchipping gun (essentially a needle, with the chip inside), presses the button to eject the chip under the skin and removes the needle.

In time the dog's body will grow fresh tissue over the microchip, helping to support it and so preventing it from moving around the body.

How Long Does Microhipping Take?

The process of microchipping a dog takes mere moments. In essence, once the dog is calm and in position, the process of actually adding the chip takes mere seconds. The process is over almost before the dog realizes what is happening. All that is required thereafter is to calm the dog and fill in the necessary registration paperwork.

Does Microchipping Hurt?

It is best to think of microchipping as rather like having an injection. For a moment or two your dog will of course feel a small pinch, but the discomfort is typically minimal. Furthermore its very short term. If anything, it is more the shock rather than the pain that might make more nervous dogs yelp.

As mentioned, the whole process is over in a matter of moments. There may be a small amount of blood, but especially on larger dogs microchipping may draw no blood. The area may remain a little sensitive for a few days but soon enough both you and your pooch will have forgotten all about the operation.

Then for the rest of your dog's life you'll be able to relax knowing that he or she is fully protected if anything should happen.

Are There Different Sizes of Microchips for Different Pets?

Most vets use a single size of microchip, irrespective of the size of the dog. For this reason, microchipping larger breeds is often easier than smaller breeds.

What Do I Need To Do After My Dog is Microchipped?

The microchips used for dogs don't house specific information about your pet. Scanning the microchip won't tell anyone that his name is "Bouncer" or that he lives in Windsor. All it will give is a microchip number.

Where the magic happens is when this number is entered into a database. The unique number then calls up all the relevant data.

After microchipping it is therefore essential to get your dog registered on the database as soon as possible. Typically there will be some forms to fill in, though you should ask your vet whether they will send off the forms on your behalf or whether you need to do it.

Once the forms are done then you should be safe, and with nothing else to worry about. Just remember that if you move home in the future, you should update the database with your new address as soon as possible.

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Microchipping Dogs: A Beginner's Guide - PBS Pet Travel

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With the forthcoming UK law that all dogs must be microchipped there are still plenty of dog owners who don't understand the basics of how microchipping actually works. We therefore decided to interview a qualified UK microchipper, to find a little more about how dogs are microchipped, what the risks are, and what you need to do afterwards as the owner.

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RSPCA version

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RSCPA microchip

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Dog microchipping | RSPCA - RSPCA - rspca.org.uk

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It’s now a legal requirement to have your dog microchipped in case they go missing. Find out everything you need to know about dog microchipping.