Has anyone heard anything about compulsory microchipping? I'm a implanted and today had 8 people in for microchips all saying they heard on the news they need to microchip there dogs as its now law, I normally lucky if I do 2 a month due to the respect and dogs trust and PDAs around here doing them for free.

I've never heard anything yet has anyone else?

There was an article in the papers today that the Government will be making an announcement soon but as I understand it the announcement is for a proposal to bring in such a law, I don't understand why anyone would rush out and have it done today :)

Me neither it was the first I had heard about it. Can't complain though after doing 8 lol it's all positive

heard it on the news this morning saying it was to stop dog attacks, as the dogs would be able to be traced, only be traced if the new owner has updated details and someone bothers to scan the dog,someone else said they did not want it done to dogs as it hurt them, someone else said caring people would be the only ones to microchip and how would they police it when they do not even police illegall docking, the inerviewer moved away from these questions so no answer was given

> how would they police it when they do not even police illegall docking

I'm sure they would as there is a greater incentive, illegal docking being no threat to the general public.  It would also make policing of these dogs easier and so less strain on their deminishing resources.

Well I do hope that they have a good quality reader to scan the dogs with, how many dogs have you hear about the were chipped but no one picked it up, my own dog has a chip that has moved and even the vet who did it has a job to find it.

heard it on the news this morning saying it was to stop dog attacks, as the dogs would be able to be traced

I have nothing against compulsory microchipping, but I fail to see their logic. Why would it stop dog attacks? How many serious attacks do we hear about where the owner isn't known?! And whether the owner was known or not, it wouldn't stop the attack!

I don't think they mean directly but by assisting in tackling the numbers of dogs that they feel make these attacks more likely.
If the "jack the lads" feel the dog can be pinned to them they may not fancy owning one so much.  In addition they may have a tool for removing such dogs as they will, I would image, be able to confiscate them by simply showing that they have not been chipped.
I would think it would help with convictions in the instances where a chipped dog is responsible for an attack too.

Mine are all done (though it's £45 - £50 at the vets around here), and I have all pups ear tattooed, and would prefer not to have to chip pups in future, preferring new owners get it done so that the correct owner details are on the chips, and I have the back up of the tattoo register keeping my details as breeder permanently on pups records.

I certainly would like ti to be a law that all pups had permanent ID before leaving the breeder, but the breeder should retain choice of method.

I agree that if this is brought in it will do little if anything for the Dangerous Dogs thing.  I am in favour of microchipping, but perhaps less so than several years ago, as I have less faith in them.  I now only chip pups before going ot new homes if they are going some distance away, and promise to chip pups who stay in the area when they are a little older as it seems to me that if you leave it till pups are a little older then there is more chance of the chip staying in place.  As well as chips moving, have had several which have simply stopped reading at all, and 1 which the registry got in some sort of mess and a French Bulldog's chip was registered to a cat.

> a French Bulldog's chip was registered to a cat.

who are they going to get to go around and check peoples dogs?and  you say the jack the lad types may think twice, well they proberly will not get them chipped any way and if the dog gets taken off them they will just get another one, pitbulls are illegal but they still get their hands on them,who will have a scanner on them to see if dogs are chipped if they are misbehaving in the park for example and the police are called will they carry a scanner to see if the dog is chipped or will the dog warden be called not in my area there is not a dog warden cutbacks.
Those that keep within the law will abide by the new rules those that do not care will get away with it as normal.I do not know what will help i suppose this is a start.

> who are they going to get to go around and check peoples dogs?

Police, dog wardens, anyone with an interest.

> if the dog gets taken off them they will just get another one

Presumably, if this law is passed, there will be a fine for having a dog without a chip.  They may get a bit scunnered paying it :)

> if they are misbehaving in the park for example and the police are called will they carry a scanner

Probably.  They carry all manner of other detector equipment in their cars.

> I do not know what will help i suppose this is a start.

Exactly, just another tool in the armoury against irresponsible dog ownership.

> though it's £45 - £50 at the vets around here

thats appalling. My vets charge £10.

What is to stop someone registering the dog to Fred Bloggs, 1 Jack Russel St, Bark Town?

I have never been asked for proof of who i am or live. It wont stop anything.

> What is to stop someone registering the dog to Fred Bloggs, 1 Jack Russel St, Bark Town?

I dare say a lot of these characters are known to the police so that will not likely do them a lot of good :)

The law is that all new puppies will be chippednot every dog.

It is being enforced in Northern Ireland as of April if I remember rightly. I doubt it will happen here and failto seehow it stops aggression. It's to enable the ease of councils/police taling people to court. But there is still the issue of identifying the dog that attacked before the chip is read and getting close enough to read a chip!!

It won't help a thing as usual wrong end of the lead being dealt with try upper end!! Laws should be enforced for compulsory training instead would be of more benefit. Problem is as we all know the people usually responsible for these dog/attacks are people who would have to be dragged kicking and screaming to group!! So are these people who are going to chip their dogs? No!! Would chipping bother them? No!! They will carry on as before until a ridculous law banning staffie types is introduced and then they will move to another breed type and the whole silly business will start again.

It's a toughie but I can only think the answer lies in training and teaching responsibilty that then leads to a whole new dilemma of how to police these new ideas etc