Dog owners and breeders in the Republic of Ireland have until March 31, 2016 to comply with new laws which make it compulsory to have all dogs micro-chipped.
All these dogs must also be registered with a Government-approved database such as Fido.ie.
Under new legislation dog owners must also have a certificate from the database provider to prove that the dog is properly micro-chipped and registered.
Dog owners are also obligated to keep their contact details up to date and register any change of contact details or change of ownership on the database.
National Micro-chipping Month has been moved to March this year, starting on Tuesday, March 1, 2016, to help raise awareness amongst dog owners and breeders about the new legislation.
If you haven’t micro-chipped your dog, now is the time to speak to your vet.
Dog owners across the country can avail of free micro-chipping at over 200 participating veterinary practices as part of a Nationwide Micro-chipping Month.
It’s supported by FIDO and Dogs Trust and places available on a ‘first come first served’ basis.
For a nation-wide list of participating vets see here.
Owners of dogs already chipped are invited to check that their details are correctly registered on an approved database free of charge at Chipcheck.
Furthermore under the new legislation, it is now illegal to buy or take ownership of a pup that is not micro-chipped and registered on an approved database and that does not have a certificate from the database to prove this.
Under legislation it is now compulsory for all puppies to be micro-chipped and registered with a Government approved database before the age of 12 weeks – or before they are moved from their birth home.
You must inform a Government approved database when you buy, sell, take ownership or transfer ownership of a dog.
The compulsory micro-chipping of dogs and new certification of the micro-chipping process is promised to have big animal welfare benefits and is good for dog owners too.
When a dog is lost, micro-chipping can help its owner to be found quickly as possible, which reduces the stress and trauma for the dog as well as for the owner and their family.
The new laws will also help to regulate transportation of puppies and dogs between countries, which is good for animal welfare and also for health in terms of disease control.
