Microchipping
Any dog over the age of eight weeks is now required by the The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 to be microchipped and registered to an approved database.
If you lose your dog and it has been microchipped, a vet or the kennels can call the microchip database and get your details so they can contact you direct. If the details are not up to date they will not be able to contact you. Remember, it is both a legal requirement to have your dog microchipped and to keep the database up to date. Failure to do this may lead to a fine of £500.
A dog is only exempt from being microchipped if a vet certifies in writing that they cannot be microchipped for health reasons. Microchipping is inexpensive and some dog charities even offer it for free. Search online or contact your vet to find out more.
Microchipping of puppies
It is the responsibility of the breeder to get the dog microchipped by a suitably qualified professional, as it must be done by eight weeks after birth and it is not possible to rehome before eight weeks. Any health exemptions must be supported by a veterinary certificate. The details must be recorded on a compliant database.
The breeder must be registered as the first keeper and ideally will update the database with the details of the puppy’s first owner. If they don’t however, the new owner must update the database themselves.
If the person selling the puppies has not had them chipped before the age of 8 weeks we recommend that you get your puppy from a more conscientious breeder.
Microchipping of rescue dogs
All rescues and dog’s homes are legally obliged to ensure a dog is microchipped before it goes to its new home.
Collar and tag
When outside of the home, your dog must wear a collar with a tag with your contact details on it, we strongly recommend you also include your preferred telephone number. If it has a collar and tag it allows the finder to quickly and easily contact you and return your dog rather than handing it in as a stray. Not only will you and your dog be reunited much quicker, but it will also mean that you will not have to pay the costs incurred by the Council for transportation, kennelling, and any vets fees if it is handed in as a stray.
Failure to ensure your dog has a collar and identification tag with your name and address inscribed on it, when it is in a public place, can lead to a fine of up to £5000 (level 2 on the standard scale). It is recommended not to put the name of the dog on the tag as this may assist someone in falsely claiming or stealing your dog.
Cherwell District Council dog registration scheme
The scheme was introduced before it was a requirement for dogs to be microchipped. As the scheme duplicates what is now a legal requirement our voluntary registration scheme to provide identity dog tags has closed.
We will maintain the list of dogs that are already registered on the scheme so if your dog is found and is wearing one of our unique identity tags we will still try to reunite your dog with you. However, we will not register new dogs or update the current register if the details change.