Dog chipping comes into law today. The penalty for not having a chip placed in your dogs neck is a fine.
I am told that long queues have formed at the one local vets office. Christmas has come early.
It looks like a good idea to make sure that all dogs can be identified and their owners traced but the reality is that the present rush to comply with the law is bringing an unexpected number of dog owners to panic.
A good friend has three dogs and getting them all chipped has proved problematic as she phones around the various vets inland to see if she can get it cheaper done in bulk!
It's not an exaggeration to say that a certain amount of panic has set in judging by the reports of queues forming , particularly at those large departmental stores found in outer town shopping complexes.
I am wondering why only one identification has been imposed.
My last dog...the beloved Crispin had already been tattooed when I got him as a pup.
Inside his ear were the black numbers which were still clear in his old age .
He had been tattooed in the first week of his life and it was always a surprise for any new vet I took him too.
His kennel club number was never used. I never wanted to show him and thank goodness he was never lost.
But on the odd occasion I was glad he was easily identified so I can see the point of identification.
I suppose the present panic is because the decision to do it has been put off by busy people but it does make me wonder how many people and their dogs will actually benefit from this legislation.
My views though have been formed by living in a rural area....I know it's different in towns and if it results in a safer environment for dogs and their people then it can only be a good thing for everyone and not just the vets!
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1 comment:
What about working dogs like Fox Hounds? Getting a whole pack chipped could be a labour of love, or more likely, a scene of chaos.
I agree that dogs need to be identifiable, but believe that this is an outcome of recent cases where dogs have attacked children, including some unfortunate deaths. My thoughts are how will a chip, prevent such attacks. Dogs need to be supervised all of the time, where young children are involved - and a chip, doesn't supervise a dog, owners have that responsibility - and in most cases where these incidents occur, excuses are made, accusing the dog and to assuage the owners guilt. A a dog is destroyed - while the owner gets away scott free.
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