Thousands breaking the law

Thousands of Brits may be hit with a £500 fine, as more than a million dogs in the UK have not been microchipped despite it being a legal requirement.

Experts from Quotezone. co.uk have urged pet owners to microchip their dogs and register them on a national database.

The microchipping law was put in place on 6 April 2016 for dogs and will soon be made mandatory for cats as well.

Owners are legally required to make sure their pooch is fitted with a microchip by the time they’re eight weeks old unless they have health conditions that prevent them from the procedure.

Owners are also responsible for updating their contact details and the dog’s microchip information on the database, as failing to do so could land them another £500 fine.

Dogs are still legally required to wear a collar with the owner’s contact details when out in public.

Microchipping also helps to decrease the growing number of strays on the streets and alleviates the strain that many animal shelters are under. Charities and local authorities can save millions of pounds in annual savings by not having to feed and home dogs who have gone missing.

Microchipping is crucial since without it pet insurance is not an option, as insurance providers can invalidate the policy if the pup goes missing without a microchip.

The microchipping process is quick and painless and can be done for free in Blue Cross and Battersea rescue centres, or for a small charge of around £20 at a vet or local council.

Quotezone.co.uk Founder and CEO Greg Wilson said: “Microchipping increases the chance of missing pets being reunited with their owners, providing benefits for animal welfare as well as lowering costs for animal shelters.

“There’s really no excuse for why you shouldn’t offer your four-legged friend all the protection you can.

“It’s also important to update the details for your dog’s microchip when there are changes, for example, if you get a new phone number or move house.”

The number of stray cats is a rising issue, as recent research reveals that 80% of cats coming into Cats Protection’s centres are not microchipped.

Under the new law, the fines for cat owners who are caught not having microchipped their kittens will be the same as for dogs, however, cats need to be chipped by the time they’re 20 weeks old.

Quotezone.co.uk helps around three million users every year find savings on household bills and essentials including puppy insurance, older dog insurance and kitten insurance.