In the UK, microchipping is now mandatory for all dogs and cats, and owners are required to keep their contact details up to date.
This rule seeks to decrease the number of stray animals, encourage responsible pet ownership, and speed up the process of finding an owner in case of an emergency. It's equally important to keep your contact information current in the microchipping database since inaccurate information can make it more difficult to return your pet securely.
What is Pet Microchipping?
Pet microchipping is a permanent form of identification involving the insertion of a tiny chip, about the size of a grain of rice, under your pet’s skin. This quick and minimally painful procedure ensures your pet has a unique identification number that can be read using a portable scanner.
Most vets, including our clinic here at Alder Vets, as well as local authorities and rescue centers, have access to these scanners. The identification number is linked to your contact details on a central database, making it easy to reunite lost pets with their owners through a simple phone call.
Each microchip contains a unique code assigned to your pet. Once implanted, your pet’s identification and your contact details are registered on the national microchipping database. Keeping your contact details up to date is crucial for successfully reuniting lost pets with their owners.
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Dog & Cat Microchipping
Alder Veterinary Practice highly recommends microchipping for all pets. It is now also a legal requirement for all dogs to be microchipped, and all puppies must be vaccinated by 8 weeks of age before ownership is transferred from the breeder. There is an up to £500.00 fine if your dog is found to be not microchipped.
If you are not sure if your pet had a microchip or not- we can easily check for a microchip using a scanner. We can arrange for a member of the team at Alder Veterinary Practice to scan your pet and check for a working chip. We will all always ensure to check that an animal has not already got a pet microchip before implanting a new one.
What Happens During the Pet Microchipping Procedure?
Sedation is not necessary for the implantation of the microchip as this procedure causes minimal discomfort and can be done in a routine consultation.
At the time of implant, you will be asked to complete a registration form, from which your details are then submitted to a national database by an Alder Vets team member. Your details are kept on the database for your pet’s lifetime, and the fee for this is included in the cost of implantation.
It is important to update any changes to your contact details as soon as possible. At Alder Veterinary Practice, all our microchips comply with the International Standard (ISO) and can, therefore, be recognised by scanners abroad when used in the Animal Health Certificate scheme.
For more information, please speak to one of our friendly team members at our practice in Guildford, Surrey.
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