Benefits of Microchipping Pets

It has now been almost a year since compulsory microchipping for dogs was introduced, making it a legal requirement to ensure your dog is microchipped and the records kept up to date.

Microchipping is not just a way of registering dogs and promoting responsible pet breeding and pet ownership; it is an important way of helping to keep your pet safe. Each year, hundreds of dogs are handed into rescue centres – many of these dogs have clearly been well loved, well trained and well looked after, but have either been stolen or gone missing. If a microchip is in place (and records are up to date) then the dog can be reunited with its owners. Without a microchip the chances of reunion are slim and your beloved pet has to take his chances in a shelter kennel. A collar/tag is not enough, this can be easily lost or removed.

However it’s not just dogs that benefit from microchipping – cats are even more prone to wandering and without  a microchip owners often never know what happened to them.

Importantly, if you find a ‘stray’ cat, PLEASE take it  to your local vets/shelter

as soon as possible to have it scanned rather than simply ‘adopting’ it. That ‘stray’ cat may be routinely visiting your garden as part of its natural territory; frequently these ‘strays’ are someone else beloved pet. Please don’t start feeding them or taking them in without first checking whether they already have a home.

If your pet is not microchipped then talk to your vets today about having one placed.

Kathryn Miller MRCVS BVSc