A NEW law coming into effect today will make it compulsory for all dogs to be microchipped.

The technology will see dogs injected with a small chip that identifies them and their owner on an electronic database.

Until today dogs could be chipped if the owner chose, but now it will be mandatory.

Kim Rogers, client care manager at Moor Cottage Veterinary Hospital in London Road, Binfield, said around three quarters of owners were choosing to have their pets microchipped.

“The new law is a good thing because we can reunite animals with their owners,” she said.

“You wouldn’t believe the number of animals we have brought in that aren’t chipped. It’s about one every week.”

If a dog has been chipped it is easy to scan it and find the phone number and address linked with the dog which helps lost pooches return home.

Jamila Reeves, Veterinary Surgeon at the practice said: “It is such a worrying time when a much-loved pet goes missing, you don’t know what has happened to them, whether they are injured, ill or if they have been stolen.”

However Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, based in Old Windsor, pointed to their own research which showed how few dogs in the UK are already microchipped and those who had been tagged had chips which were out of date.

Chief Executive Claire Horton said:“We welcome the new microchipping law as it can really help in re-uniting lost dogs with their owners.

“But there’s a long way to go to make sure the nation’s dog owners know they must get their dog chipped and keep their details up to date.”

The new law makes it mandatory for all dogs more than eight weeks old to be microchipped and registered on an approved database.

If a dog is found without a microchip or with incorrect information it must be fixed in 21 days or the owner faces a £500 fine.

Simon Blackburn, Chair of the Local Government Association’s Safer and Stronger Communities Board, has welcomed the move. 

He said: “Compulsory microchipping for dogs will tackle reckless ownership and help save councils vast sums of taxpayers’ cash looking after strays.

“The new law requires owners to keep contact details up to date with their microchip company, so anyone moving home, selling their dog or giving them to someone else, needs to update the details to ensure they can be easily reunited with their pet and don’t risk being fined.

“Councils will, of course, take a proportionate approach to enforcing the new law, but owners can help by ensuring they get their dogs chipped as soon as possible.

“The new microchipping law will improve animal welfare by helping councils return even more stray dogs to their owners, while reducing the huge cost to the public purse and the number of owners paying mounting fees for unplanned stays in kennels.”