UK set to introduce mandatory microchipping

Discodog

The UK look set to introduce mandatory microchipping & repeal their BSL legislation. They plan to switch the emphasis from bad dogs to bad owners.
This could have implications here for our Animal Welfare Bill & may discourage the government from further BSL.

The UK figures make a stark comparison to here. Our average kill rate for strays is about 37% whereas the UK rate is about 5%

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/family/pets/9070559/Microchips-for-all-dogs-to-hold-owners-to-account.html

Vince32

I could not agree more, people who hide behind anonymity and keep animals as weapons or status symbols should be massively fined and possibly imprisoned.

But besides that, lost dogs can be returned to their owners in just a day or two at the most.
Abandoned dogs, will identify their owners and force them to face the music.

On the down side, a person can change their owners details for the chip online, and make tracking down the real owners almost impossible. If they do this mandatory chipping they need to make changing the details of the chip allowable only through some kind of mediating body, who can identify the new owners credentials and verify the person actually exists.

At least they are making some useful laws, that will help improve responsible owners, and help return lost dogs to their homes and punish people who recklessly abandon dogs.

DBB

Vince32 wrote: »

On the down side, a person can change their owners details for the chip online, and make tracking down the real owners almost impossible. If they do this mandatory chipping they need to make changing the details of the chip allowable only through some kind of mediating body, who can identify the new owners credentials and verify the person actually exists.

This is not true, in my experience and according to Fido, Animark and Pettrace.
I've reregistered hundreds of dogs' microchips. If the chip already has the original owner's details attached to it, the microchip company will not reregister the chip without the previous owner's consent.
What is more, the microchip company retains details of all previous owners of each dog on their database, so there is always a chain of who the dog has belonged to.
This is the case with the microchip databases here in Ireland. I doubt it's any different in the UK, or any other country.

Vince32

Yeah that's right, I'm just saying it's possible for me, right now, to go online and change my dogs registered owner to John Smith, at 123 rainbow lane. and I can consent to the change because I am/was the previous owner.

but that's going to be a rare scenario at best, at most the mandatory chipping is a great idea and Ireland should introduce something along those lines asap.

Discodog

Needless to say that we will have a few like this chap:

"Lord Renton of Mount Harry, a former Conservative minister, urged the Government to think carefully before insisting on compulsory microchipping because many dogs “took badly” to having a chip inserted. "

I wonder what evidence he has to back up his claim :rolleyes:

DamagedTrax

about time! would be great to see PBT back in UK :cool:

Discodog

DamagedTrax wrote: »

about time! would be great to see PBT back in UK :cool:

I don't think that will ever happen. There would huge opposition in the tabloid media & the government would be in the firing line the next time an incident involving an APT occurred.

What it hopefully will do is reduce the pressure to increase the number of banned breeds in the future.

DamagedTrax

its already proven BSL doesnt work so i cant see them being too far from it. a spay/neuter program with exemptions for breeding & show stock could be on the cards if im reading into recent uk government discussions on it. possibly a licence system thru breed training too.

axle108

Heres the same from March 2010
http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/09/dangerous-dogs-microchips-insurance
My problem is not with compulsory microchipping, should have happened years ago.
Its this bit. “The final package will cover future government handling of these issues as well as other plans to improve the standards of dog ownership.” I wonder!
As we all well know, the last time we ended up with a restricted breed list. This left not the intended irresponsible owners, but the responsible ones with the issues of owning a restricted breed.

Lets hope the lawmakers this time around might actually own dogs, preferably powerfull ones;).

Discodog

Looks like this is going ahead tomorrow. The Minister is expected to announce it. I wonder if it will be in time to influence our new Animal Welfare Bill.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2010/mar/09/dangerous-dogs-microchips-insurance

Chinasea

Considering we have such a shameful record with regards the number of abandoned dogs/horses etc., it would be wonderful to see our country introducing this.
Was our one and only progressive innovative decision of late the levy on plastic bags? What does it take before we wake up and enforce responsible animal welfare? Why do we have to be Paddy last?

Discodog

It could so easily be done as an all Ireland initiative. By making it mandatory for puppies it would gradually become the norm without the unpalatable bit of forcing every existing owner to chip.

magentas

Would be fantastic to see this introduced in Ireland, would be a giant step forward in promoting responsible ownership

lorebringer

I totally agree with mandatory microchipping - it would great to see it come in here. The only thing that would HAVE to be dealt with is registration, I cannot believe the number of people who have their animals chipped and not registered. Perhaps, registration on insertion of the chip would work (that is, an owner must register the chip at the time it is put into the animal - at the vets, rescues, where ever...). Changing info on a chip could be tricky to sort out but there are ways around these issues, perhaps registering them to vet practices/rescues (and they have details of the owner, if the info doesn't match up it can be dealt with) and changing of info would need to be confirmed by these bodies (just a suggestion!).

Enforcing microchipping would tackle three very obvious problems - dangerous dogs attacking, lost dogs/dogs in pounds etc. and animal abuse cases, someone would be accountable and responsible in all these situations. It really would impact dog ownership is a big way in this country.