Pet Corner: Why microchipping your pet is so important

A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is inserted painlessly under the skin.

Microchipping of dogs was made a legal requirement in March 2016 so if your pet is older than five you may wonder if you need to get a microchip and what the benefits of doing so are.

A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is inserted painlessly under the skin by a vet or suitably trained person like a veterinary nurse. It stores a unique number that can be read by an electronic scanner.

Dogs of any age can be injected with a microchip. Once it’s injected under the skin, the microchip becomes encased by a thin layer of protein which anchors it in place for the rest of your pet’s life and it does not pass through or out of the body.

Microchipping is a legal requirement for all dogs and failure to comply with the legislation could result in a fine of up to €5,000. It is also an offence to sell or supply or to purchase a dog that has not been microchipped.

All dogs and pups are legally required to be microchipped before they leave the land or premises where they were born or before they reach 12 weeks of age, whichever comes first. A puppy must be microchipped and the ownership transferred if applicable, even if this is before 12 weeks. You can expect to pay €20 - €50 to have your dog microchipped at the vet.

Other animals, including cats, can also be microchipped. Contact your local vet for any questions you have about microchipping.

The most obvious reason to microchip your pet is that it gives you the best chance of being reunited should your pet go missing or be stolen as your pet will be permanently identifiable.

“Thousands of pets are lost every year and many pet owners are sadly never reunited but microchipping your pet will help. We would encourage all pet owners to get your pets chipped and also to then check that your contact details are registered and correct on the database,” ISPCA Chief Inspector Conor Dowling says.

“Your microchip certificate will be sent to you and it’s important to keep this document safe and remember to update your contact details if you move house or change your phone number.

“If your dog is already microchipped, you will still need to check your contact details are correct on the microchipping database and also ensure that you are in receipt of a microchip certificate. If your details are not up to date, it will not be possible to contact you in the event that your pet goes missing.”