Croydon Council’s dog wardens are offering free micro-chipping at Wandle Park this Friday, March 11, providing a service to residents – and their pets – which might usually cost as much as £20.
The event, from 11am to 4pm, is in partnership with the Dogs Trust.
Dog owners are encouraged to get their pets micro-chipped ahead of a new law which comes into force next month which makes this compulsory.
All dogs over eight weeks old must be micro-chipped and registered with their keepers’ contact details before Wednesday April 6.
“Micro-chipping has many welfare benefits – it deters dog theft, helps unite people more quickly with lost or stolen pets, and means all puppies are traceable to their breeder,” said Mark Watson, the Labour council’s cabinet member for safety and justice.
“This last point is vital in helping reduce the problem of puppy farming and lessening the incidence of infectious disease and inherited defects from which many of these dogs suffer.”
Breeders and keepers will also have a responsibility to keep their dogs’ details up to date.
Anyone breeding dogs must be the first registered keeper of the puppies, and it will be illegal for the breeder to not be listed as a keeper on the database.
All imported dogs will need to have a microchip.
The breeder must also provide micro-chipping documents to the puppy’s buyer to ensure the new owner can update their details to comply with the law.
When the new law comes into effect, the keeper of a dog without a micro-chip may be served with a notice requiring the dog to be micro-chipped, and may face criminal prosecution and a £500 fine if they do not comply with the notice.
Dog owners who cannot make it to the Wandle Park event can call the council on 020 8726 6000, or email doginfo@croydon.gov.uk. The dog warden will then make contact to schedule an appointment, or to advise where the next free micro-chipping event is being held.
All owners of dogs collected as strays will also be offered the free micro-chipping service on return of their dog.
Dogs Trust also offers free micro-chipping at its rehoming centres, and is working in partnership with some local vet surgeries to offer free micro-chipping.
For more information call Dogs Trust on 020 7837 0006 or speak to your local vet.
The vets’ following practices are working with Dogs Trust.
Vets4Pets, Addiscombe
Anwell Veterinary Centre, Coulsdon
Anne Nelson Vets, South Croydon
Selsdon Veterinary Centre, Selsdon
Paxton Vets, South Norwood.
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