Microchipping is a legal requirement for all dogs over the age of eight weeks and from 10th June 2024 for all cats over the age of twenty weeks. We also provide microchipping for other small animals. It is also a requirement that microchip details are kept up to date with the correct ownership and contact details.
This involves implanting a microchip the size of a grain of rice under loose skin at the back of the neck. From then on, your puppy/adult dog/kitten/adult cat will have it’s own unique number that, along with yours and your pets’ details will be registered and stored with on a central database.
Pets can easily lose collars, but if they are microchipped and go missing, whether they are handed into the local Dog and Cat home, Dog Warden, or Veterinary Practices, he/she will be scanned and the barcode number displayed. The central database will then be contacted and your details are shown, thus reuniting you with your pet quickly.
The chip can be placed either when your pet is in for routine vaccination or health checks or at the time of neutering.
Another benefit of microchipping is that with the new Pet Travel Scheme, your pet must be chipped. So you could take your pet on holiday with you!