Microchip Databases and official recognition

Inexile

As most of you will be aware the introduction of new legislation means that all dogs will have to be microchipped and have a cert of ownership by March of next year.

All my dogs are chipped but most dont have a certificate so I went onto the National Microchip Month website to get things sorted.

I had no problem with 3 of the dogs who were registered with either Fido or Animark. However, one of my dogs is registered with Identichip (Anibase) and after registering the details a few years I received a certificate confirming my details. The chips have to be registered with databases authorised by the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM).

When I contacted the NMM website I was advised that the Identichip was not listed as a database recognised by the DAFM and on checking neither does the chip appear on Europetnet database.

This leads me to wonder if my dog was lost how could it be returned to me if the chip is not listed on the databases most frequently used by Irish Vet practitioners and others. For the last five years or more I thought that if my dog got lost I had a good chance of her been returned as she was chipped. But now I wonder if the cert I have is worth the paper its written.

So please if anyone has a pet registered with Identichip please check that is registered with the most commonly used databases.

Has anyone else had this problem with Identichip?

aonb

On this subject, I just checked on that new database that my dog was officially and correctly registered (he is reg on FIDO.IE) - so "they" checked that he is indeed officially reg, but I need to give them €4.50 for his certificate.

I just had him chipped and reg during the summer, and paid those fees - no one mentioned a CERTIFICATE in that process - this is obviously new since Sept 2015?

So, what is this certificate for?
Who would ask to see it?
Is it annual, or a once off cert of being chipped?
This presumably seperate from a dog license?
Is this in addition to a dog license?

tk123

aonb wrote: »

On this subject, I just checked on that new database that my dog was officially and correctly registered (he is reg on FIDO.IE) - so "they" checked that he is indeed officially reg, but I need to give them €4.50 for his certificate.

I just had him chipped and reg during the summer, and paid those fees - no one mentioned a CERTIFICATE in that process - this is obviously new since Sept 2015?

So, what is this certificate for?
Who would ask to see it?
Is it annual, or a once off cert of being chipped?
This presumably seperate from a dog license?
Is this in addition to a dog license?

Yeah a friend of mine had heard something about a charge a few weeks ago but couldn't find any info on it? Did you just click the edit button and they came back to you asking for the €4.50 - I tried it there and it says 'Being checked by Fido staff' - sure why do I need them to check it when it's correct on he site?! They can whistle for the €4.50!!:mad: I have the cards from fido.ie, their IKC registrations and I think I might have the chip numbers on their (lifetime) licences?...My mum is out and after putting them somewhere safe - so obviously I can't find them anywhere to check lol!!
The section from the new guidelines below says - "at a place and time specified by the authorised officer" so I'd take my chances and not bother with the certificate unless I'm asked for it at some stage. It doesn't say the certificate needs to come from fido even? The whole thing is a bit scammy to me - surely freedom of information means we're entitled to any records fido.ie have with our information for free...so are we not entitled to the certificate? They're assuming everyone is going to rush and ask them for a certificate and are cashing in - why can't we just download it from their site? :mad:

I'm going to call DCC tomorrow and ask them about the certificate i.e. can it be any certificate with their chip number or if it needs to come from fido.ie.

Section 6 from MICROCHIPPING OF DOGS REGULATIONS 2015

(6) Where the Minister removes a dog identification database from the list mentioned in paragraph(1), the dog identification database operator shall fur- nish records of registered dogs to a person and in a form as the Minister requires.
Certificate of registration
6. (1) A dog identification database shall be capable of producing a certificate containing the information specified in Regulation 5(2) in respect of a dog whose details are entered on the database (“certificate of registration”).
(2) The operator of a dog identification database shall make available a cer- tificate of registration relating to a dog whose details are entered on the database—
(a) to an authorised officer on a request being made in that regard, and (b) to the person identified on the dog identification database as the
owner of the dog.
(3) A certificate of registration shall be in a form and contain such infor- mation as the Minister may determine.
(4) A person whose name is entered on a dog identification database shall, in respect of a dog in his or her possession or under his or her control, take all necessary steps to ensure that the information specified in Regulation 5(2) is accurate and up to date.
(5) A person shall not have a dog to which these Regulations apply in his or her possession or under his or her control unless he or she has possession of a
[63] 7 current certificate of registration relating to the dog and shall produce the cer-
tificate of registration for inspection by an authorised officer— (a) on a request being made in that regard, or
(b) at a place and time specified by the authorised officer.

Inexile

This is an additional charge and will only be needed for dogs chipped before now. So if you got your dog chipped last week you will get the cert as part of the process but if you did it 2 months ago probably not.

TK123 - Fido.ie is a private company so FOI does not apply - FOI only applies to Public Bodies.

Its also not enough to have your dog registered to a database it has to be one of the databases that the Dept of Agriculture has approved and to date they are Fido, Animark and the IKC. Anibase is not one of them, at least not yet.

AONB to answer your questions :
So, what is this certificate for? the owner
Who would ask to see it? - either dog warden or if you intend to sell a dog or pup the buyer. You cant change dog ownership legally without one.
Is it annual, or a once off cert of being chipped? Once off.
This presumably separate from a dog license? Yes - though I would hope this would replace a dog licence eventually
Is this in addition to a dog license? Yes.

The certs should in implemented would act like a log book for a car. Each time a dog changes ownership the new owners details are amended so there would be traceability for all dogs. Its designed to help stamp out puppy farmers and other foul practices.

It will be illegal to sell (and possibly buy - not sure if works both ways) a dog without a certificate. On transfer of ownership both the buyer and the seller have to fill out their details and the buyer has to provide id eg. passport and/or utility bill.

It will be great if it works but the problem is those that are responsible for their dogs will do it and those that wont well are the resources to go after them.

In the meantime I have paid for thee of my dogs - cert prices vary I have paid €4.50 for two of the certs and €12.50 for another cert. I still have two more to get.

It is annoying when I have already paid for the chipping and registration to be faced with another fee but there is no way round it.

JustTheOne

Got my dog chipped 20 years ago. Rang up last year to see if everything was ok and the chip code was registered to a different dog altogether. This worried me so sorted it all out.

Now I'm worried he might not even be on a proper database???

How do I find out if he is?

degsie

JustTheOne wrote: »

Got my dog chipped 20 years ago. Rang up last year to see if everything was ok and the chip code was registered to a different dog altogether. This worried me so sorted it all out.

Now I'm worried he might not even be on a proper database???

How do I find out if he is?

You have a 20yo dog?

JustTheOne

degsie wrote: »

You have a 20yo dog?

Sorry meant to say 2 years ago. Fat fingers!

tk123

JustTheOne wrote: »

Sorry meant to say 2 years ago. Fat fingers!

:pac: I was impressed for a second that you were ahead of the game lol :pac:

(Still haven't found their licenses to see if the chip number is on them!:o)

Inexile wrote: »

In the meantime I have paid for thee of my dogs - cert prices vary I have paid €4.50 for two of the certs and €12.50 for another cert. I still have two more to get.

It is annoying when I have already paid for the chipping and registration to be faced with another fee but there is no way round it.

When's the last time you were asked to show your dog licenses to the warden? I had him come to the house 6 years ago - the week after we got Bailey when they were doing a check in the area and haven't had him call since. There's no way I'm going to rush out and buy a cert unless I'm asked to show it. Surely a warden who's checking would have a scanner to check if the dog is actually chipped - otherwise anyone could Photoshop a cert. Irish Water have ipads to check the meters in our area (and we've had a meter close to 10 years now) and feed it back into a database - I asked the guy one morning and he was telling me about it. I reckon at most the dog will be scanned and the warden would be able to check on the spot if it's registered - if not like the license you'd be asked to show it in X amount of days.

Inexile

tk123 wrote: »

When's the last time you were asked to show your dog licenses to the warden?

Surely a warden who's checking would have a scanner to check if the dog is actually chipped - otherwise anyone could Photoshop a cert. QUOTE]

When I renewed my dog licence last year there was a section you could fill in the microchip number. I didn't bother filling it in but I think it will be compulsory next year after March.

The certs that are being issued by Fido are on quality embossed paper with a QWERTY code (think that's what you call them) so you couldnt make them up too easily.

Think the cert will only cause a problem for if you have a dog now and wish to transfer ownership after March 2015. Wont happen in my case but I'm still getting the certs - much as I'm annoyed about paying for it all. From now on when you chip a dog you will get the cert included in the mchip price.

Do wonder though if pounds and wardens would now check only the authorised databases and not all of them? Now that's a scary thought

Dubl07

tk123 wrote: »

:pac: I was impressed for a second that you were ahead of the game lol :pac:

(Still haven't found their licenses to see if the chip number is on them!:o)



When's the last time you were asked to show your dog licenses to the warden? I had him come to the house 6 years ago - the week after we got Bailey when they were doing a check in the area and haven't had him call since. There's no way I'm going to rush out and buy a cert unless I'm asked to show it. Surely a warden who's checking would have a scanner to check if the dog is actually chipped - otherwise anyone could Photoshop a cert. Irish Water have ipads to check the meters in our area (and we've had a meter close to 10 years now) and feed it back into a database - I asked the guy one morning and he was telling me about it. I reckon at most the dog will be scanned and the warden would be able to check on the spot if it's registered - if not like the license you'd be asked to show it in X amount of days.

It's embossed with a nice silver harp and silver Fido's logo. A bit awkward to photoshop. My dog was microchipped at 11 weeks but not to a properly recognised database which I discovered this summer thanks to boards. I paid to register her with Fido and then stumped up this additional €4.50 for the cert.

tbh, I'm happy enough to do what I can within reason to encourage legislation and compliance/enforcement for the benefit and welfare of dogs and responsible owners.

I was in the park today and every second person was warning me that the dog warden was there. I was thrilled at her presence and that of the council workers emptying the bins and also lifting the dog cr@p a variety of morons had bagged and tossed into the hedges around the corner from said bins. Roll on genetic typing of all pet dogs and hefty fines for anyone not scooping. Now that it's autumn and the lovely golden leaves are on the ground I'll undoubtedly be doing that horrible scrape/wipe shuffle again.

mad muffin

What's the deal with registering newly microchipped dogs?

I got my new puppy chipped today, and the vet said, I just need to go into fido.ie and do it myself.

Go onto the website and it says only the vet can register dogs?

Inexile

mad muffin wrote: »

What's the deal with registering newly microchipped dogs?

I got my new puppy chipped today, and the vet said, I just need to go into fido.ie and do it myself.

Go onto the website and it says only the vet can register dogs?

the site is operating under the new Regulations (which don't come into force until March) and the vet is still working on the old (current) ones! To register a dog under the new Regs you have to authorised and you have to have seen photographic id from the owner (passport, driving licence etc).

Ring your vet and tell them the site wont let you do it directly anymore and ask them to do it for you.

Ziycon

Looks to me that this 4.50 charge is just a to cover the issuing of new certs. for previously registered pets, still with that there should be no charge as people already have the pet chipped, either Fido or DAFM should cover this for previously registered pets as they're the ones insisting on it, I know it's not much, more principle then anything else.

tk123

GAH! Our licenses are still lost in the house!! Waiting for DCC to get back to me on getting replacements. I can find the printouts of the receipts but not the A4 laminated-so-you-don't- loose-them licenses!! :rolleyes:

Milly33

Must check my own now never got certs have them tagged for years