Microchipping your cat or dog
As of June 2024 all cats over 20 weeks and dogs over 8 weeks of age must be microchipped as per The Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023
If you are the keeper of a cat or dog in England, you must:
- ensure your pet is chipped and registered to an authorised database
- if you get a new dog it must be chipped before you become its keeper
- ensure any dogs you keep are chipped by the age of eight weeks
- ensure any cats you keep are chipped once they are 20 weeks and over
- keep your contact details up to date on the microchip database
You can get a cat or dog microchipped by a vet, or many animal re-homing centres also provide this service. Dogs Trust provide some useful information about the microchipping process.
If a cat or dog is not chipped
A notice will be served on the keeper requiring the animal to be implanted with a chip within 21 days. If this is ignored, a fine of up to £500 can be issued, or the dog can be seized by an authorised person and microchipped at the owner's expense.
If a cat or dog is passed to a new keeper
The microchip details will need to be updated on the database. Either the new or previous keeper can update details, and it is recommended that the previous keeper obtains the details of the new keeper to ensure that the details have been updated correctly. Once the database has been updated with the new keeper's details, this will ensure the previous keeper cannot be held responsible for any problems caused under the new keeper's ownership.