Dacorum Borough Council highlight importance of up-to-date microchip data in pets
The need to update information has been highlighted by Rachel Smith, Animal and Welfare and Public Health Lead.
Ensuring your dogs microchip information is up to date is essential according to Dacorum Borough Council.
There are some easy but important ways to keep your dog safe from theft and going missing according to Dacorum Borough Council, although this advice is relevant for all areas in Buckinghamshire.
Rachel Smith is Animal and Welfare and Public Health Lead for the council:
"It's important for owners to know if their dog does go missing, whether they believe it has been stolen or its taken itself off for a walk, the key would be to contact the microchipping company the dog is registered with.
"Of course all dogs should not be microchipped by law.
"The amount of dogs that I have picked up over the years that are not correctly microchipped or the details are not up to date... It is impossible to reunite them."
The recommendation is to ensure the microchip information includes are least one of the following:
- A contact number
- The owners address
- An email or other method of contact
- There should also be the owners name and these details should be regularly updated, and where possible checked to make sure they are correct.
- Using a 'lunge lead' with a long distance is also recommended to give a dog scope to explore but keeping them connected to the owner at all times.
The issue of breeding and making sure you get your dog from a respectable breeder are also important.
Rachel says although she recommends rescue, if you are buying the breeder needs to take interest in you:
"You should to more than one visit, don't just expect to go for one visit and come back with a puppy.
"Any reasonable breeder should want you to visit more than once to know about you as an owner. If they aren't interested in you the chances are they aren't interested in the home the dog is going to."