In March 2013, Minister Simon Coveney T.D. announced that from 2016 all dogs will be required to be microchipped by law. There is still a very significant number of dogs not microchipped but numbers are expected to rise in the run up to 31st March 2016. For microchipping to work, owners must make sure that the registered details for them and their pets are correct at the time of microchipping, that any change of ownership of a dog is notified to the Database and also any change of the owner’s details is notified to the Database also.
As a dog owner, there are three things you need to know about the new legislation.
1. Your dog MUST be microchipped and registered on a Government approved Database by 31st March 2016.
2. You must have a certificate from the Database to prove that your dog is microchipped and registered on the Database.
3. You must keep your contact details up-to-date. Any changes of ownership or of contact details such as changes in address or phone number must be notified to the Database.
If you are buying, selling or transferring ownership, there are three things you need to know about the new legislation.
1. From the 1st Septemeber 2015, all pups must be chipped, registered and certified by the time they reach the age of 12 weeks or before they leave the property on which they were born. Their microchip must be registered with an approved Database and the breeder or owner must have a certificate from that Database with the pup’s details and the owner’s details on it.
2. From the 1st September 2015, it will be illegal to sell, supply, buy or take ownership of a pup that does not have a certificate of microchip registration from an approved Database.
3. You must inform an approved Database when you buy, sell, take ownership or transfer ownership of a dog.
It is the responsibility of the registered owner of the dog to ensure that the details stored on the Database are always correct and up-to-date. They should inform the Database of any changes to addresses & contact details if they occur. These changes must be recorded on a new certificate. This law applies to all dogs from 31st March 2016.
Any dog microchipped before the commencement of these regulations does not need to be re-chipped. However, the owner must ensure that their details are stored on an approved Database, that their details are correct & the Database will then supply them with a certificate confirming this. Many owners may not know what Database their details are stored on but Fido will search the Databases and check if the owners are compliant or not. This “Check It” system can be found here.
The Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015 clearly states that only vets, vet nurses and other appropriately trained persons may microchip and register dogs. These implanters must complete training in the use of a Database and be assigned a unique identifying number by the Database operator.