Microchipping Of Dogs Regulations 2017

The Microchipping Of Dogs Regulations will be made under the Animal Health & Welfare Act 2013 for the purpose of animal welfare. These regulations update and consolidate exsiting national regulations (statutry instruemnts 63 of 2015). This come following increased concern about abuses within the dog breeding and trading sector and illegal trade in same. They will require dog owners to ensure that dogs are microchipped and their details made available so that where a dog is lost it can be reunited with its owner quickly and easily. The Regulations require dog owners to have their dogs microchipped and their contact details registered with dog identification databases. The regulations define “microchips” as being of a standard ISO type: ISO Standard 11784 which requires 15 digit unique code, and capable of being read using a reading device compatible with ISO Standard 1178. These are the norm used within Europe though the US commonly uses 12 digit alpha-numeric chips. The existing private market provision of these services is being encouraged subject to basic minium requriements are placed on databases to ensure that they the data is secure both externally, in terms of the Data Protection Act and from non-time-stamped internal alteration so as to avoid fraud. Procedures are set out for the notification of the transfer of ownership of dogs to ensure data remains up to date.