A campaign has been launched by DogFoodHeaven and WoodGreen The Animals Charity to remind pet owners to keep their animals’ microchip details up to date.
Microchipping has been mandatory for dogs since 2016. Uptake has been high since the introduction of the law, but many owners don’t go on to keep their details up to date.
Outdated microchips are one of the most chronically overlooked areas of dog ownership. The PDSA estimates that the majority of stray dogs brought into vets and shelters with incorrect or missing details attached to their microchip are never reunited with their owner as a result, the campaign says.
Owners are also not aware that they could face a fine as a result of the oversight.
MISSING DETAILS
Currently, 69% of dogs brought into vets and shelters have incorrect or missing details attached to their microchips. And with over three million new pets being obtained during the pandemic, there is great concern about the increasing number of beloved family dogs becoming stray dogs.
Natalie Wells, Welcome Centre manager, said: “At Wood Green, we take time to check lost and found dog reports and specialised websites such as DogLost in an effort to reunite dogs with their owners.
“It remains extremely difficult to track down an owner if microchip details are out of date, as many people are unaware of what to do if their dog goes missing. In these cases, owners have to find the dog themselves rather than simply being notified that their dog has been found.
“If we are unable to reunite stray dogs with their owner within seven days, we then begin the process of finding them a loving new home.
“The number of stray dogs coming into Wood Green is currently at a manageable level, but their unexpected arrival can make it difficult for us to manage our kennel availability for other dogs in need, as we also need to have kennels available for emergencies.
“This number typically goes up as the weather gets warmer, with dogs and their owners spending more time outside or with doors open.”
Many owners believe chip details are updated by their vet but this is not the case unless the service is specifically offered.
Now the team at Dog Food Heaven with the help of WoodGreen have released a new ‘Check Your Chip’ infoguide on how to update chip details.
