Microchipping law could tackle puppy farming, vet claims.
A Gateshead Pet Hospital says that a new microchipping law will help to tackle puppy farming in the North East.
A Gateshead Pet Hospital claims that a new microchipping law will help tackle puppy farming in the North East.
Dog owners will face a £500 fine if their pet isn't microchipped, after new laws on dog ownership came into force today.
The legislation affects all dogs aged eight weeks and older in England, Wales and Scotland.
Recent figures suggest 1.16m dogs still aren’t microchipped, despite a 70 per cent increase in the number pets being microchipped in the last month.
But PDSA Pet Hospital in Gateshead say people mustn’t ignore the rule, as it will help keep animals safe across the region.
It’s after the RSPCA revealed a 500% rise in puppy farming in recent years. Complaints about rogue puppy breeders in County Durham rose from 29 in 2013 to 157 in 2014.
Cheryl Nash, Veterinary Nurse, says being able to identify the owners would help tackle this. She said:
“The puppy farming is something that’s happening quite regular and we see quite a lot of really ill animals. It’s awful to have to nurse them back when they’ve had such a start. With the microchipping coming in hopefully we’ll be able to prevent it from happening.”
“If we see irresponsible ownership, say if the pet keeps going missing we can trace it back to the owners or if the pets injured or we see long term illnesses that should have been treated then we can scan the animals, get the owners details then that’s straight direct contact.”
“I do sometimes feel like animal crimes aren’t looked after or regulated very well so if this step means we can prevent things from happening them it’s a really good step forward.”
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