Changes to microchipping regulations set out in government consultation
The UK Government has launched an eight-week consultation seeking views to improve the pet microchipping database system.
The new proposals make it easier to reunite owners with lost or stole dogs and cats, and follow recommendations of the Pet Theft Taskforce.
The proposals aim to improve breeder traceability by making it compulsory for the breeder’s details to remain on the database for the lifetime of the animal – even when the animal changes keeper or when the microchip record is transferred to another database.
The consultation looks to obtain views on new requirements for registering additional details and a single point of access so microchip records can quickly be accessed by approved users to help identify the owners and keepers of pets.
The transferring of keepership records will also be strengthened to prevent lost or stolen animals being re-registered without the keeper being aware, and to stop the creation of duplicate records.
RSPCA Head of Public Affairs David Bowles said: “We’d support the introduction of a single, centralised database of microchipped cats and dogs or would love to see better collaboration and communication between the current 16 separate databases.
“This would make it much easier to quickly reunite stray, missing and stolen pets with their owners and would also save a lot of time for charities, such as the RSPCA, local authorities and vets when they’re trying to trace an owner.”
British Veterinary Association President Justine Shotton added: “We strongly recommend microchipping as a safe, effective and permanent way to identify individual animals, but the sheer number of databases and the fact that they don’t routinely communicate with each other currently present significant barriers to successful reunification of lost pets and owners.
“Streamlining the system into a single point of entry and driving up standards across all databases would help to spare heartache for many pet owners and start things on a positive footing when compulsory cat microchipping is rolled out next year.”
Interested parties can participate in the consultation here.
