For several years the Microchip Alliance has been campaigning for compulsory microchipping for dogs, and this year things have started moving. As of this April, Northern Ireland has begun implementing compulsory microchipping, Wales has announced a consultation on breeding regulations including the subject and Defra has just launched a public consultation (Defra, 2012) into compulsory microchipping in England, the consultation closes on June 15th.
At the heart of microchipping is reunification, and the Microchip Alliance believes that through compulsory microchipping it can reduce the number of stray dogs. Quickly and successfully reuniting dogs with their owners can only help to relieve overwhelmed rescue centres. A collar can fall off or be removed, but a microchip is forever, and it is not uncommon to reunite a dog with its owner years after going missing.
Making microchips compulsory for dogs would mean more than just ensuring all dogs are microchipped — it would change the overall function of a microchip and could have implications on the processes veterinary nurses go through when they see dogs; it may become compulosry to scan all dogs on their first visit to the surgery. Veterinary practices may be required to further assist with reunifications and perhaps even to help reduce dog theft by scanning all new dogs registering with the practice to ensure they are with the registered owner; if not, the matter can be flagged to the database where systems will be in place to proceed with the matter further.
There are other implications for microchip databases, as they may be required to provide a history of the dog’s life to the authorities to help tackle bad breeders and make it easier to identify owners who persistently allow their dogs to cause nuisance or those who abuse their dogs. In February, Defra mentioned that compulsory microchipping is one of the considered measures being looked at to tackle irresponsible dog ownership in relation to dangerous dogs.
In Europe, compulsory microchipping is nothing new. Microchipping is compulsory for dogs in Austria, Belgium, Denmark, France, Hungary, Ireland, Luxembourg, Spain, Sweden and Switzerland, and in Estonia on a local government level for both dogs and cats.
In 2011, the Kennel Club, in conjunction with the European Pet Network, contacted 25 microchip databases across Europe in order to examine the effects of compulsory and non-compulsory microchipping, the implications of compulsory microchipping and the differing uses of microchip databases.
Twenty three databases responsed, and with careful analysis and comparison created some interesting and varied results looking into countries with both compulsory and optional microchipping; the Danish results presented favourable findings for microchipping. Denmark was the first country to have introduced compulsory microchipping for dogs, it requires that every puppy has to be microchipped before the age of 8 weeks and no dog is allowed to leave its mother before that age. The Danish database noted in 2010 that there were no stray dogs, several hundred dogs lost and very few abandoned, a noticeable decrease since the implementation of compulsory microchipping.
The Swiss database reported similar results to Denmark — there were no stray dogs in 2010, and each year around 6000 dogs are lost and only between 5 and 10 abandoned. According to the Swiss database compulsory microchipping has not made a difference to the number of stray or lost dogs, (although they did note they can now reunite dogs and owners quicker). However, it did remark that there was an evident decrease in the number of abandoned dogs with the introduction of compulsory microchipping. Sweden did not note any changes after the implementation of compulsory microchipping, however, over 90% of stray dogs are reunited with their owners within 24 hours of being collected by the authorities. Surely this is in part due to the fact that the transfer of ownership has to be registered within 4 weeks, which emphasizes the importance of the registration side of compulsory microchipping.
France and the UK have the highest number of dogs and cats, with both having around 8 million of each (according to the Pet Food Manufacturers Association in the UK and the French microchip database). The French database reported that they have no stray dogs, 50 000 dogs are lost a year and 60 000 abandoned a year, a number which has significantly reduced in recent years. Approximately 70% of dogs in France are microchipped due to compulsory microchipping, compared with the UK where microchipping is optional, and less than 60% of dogs are thought to be microchipped.
The UK’s statistics are shocking in comparison and perhaps speak louder than words, as last year the annual Dogs Trust Stray Dogs Survey revealed that over 126 000 stray dogs were picked up and under half of these were reunited with their owners (Dogs Trust, 2011).
According to Petlog, the UK’s largest microchip database, around 58% of dogs are microchipped, but according to the Microchip Alliance Briefing only 28% of stray dogs are microchipped (British Veterinary Association, 2012). The briefing also states that the average stay for a dog in kennels in 30.5 days. As foreign databases have shown, with compulsory microchipping more stray dogs will be microchipped, resulting in quicker reunification, a reduction in the number of dogs needing rehoming which will assist overburdened welfare organizations and local authorities and reduce the amount of time a dog is in kennels.
Defra is looking to introduce compulsory microchipping to tackle dangerous dogs, how this is implemented is yet to be decided and how it will work, only time will tell. But, looking to countries that have introduced compulsory microchipping it certainly looks like it will help to tackle the huge numbers of stray and abandoned dogs seen in the UK.