Cork dog owners fined for licences but not microchipping, councillor claims

A Cork councillor says weak enforcement of microchipping laws is undermining responsible dog ownership and animal welfare

Shelter officials reported that up to 70% of the dogs they deal with are not microchipped.

A major anomaly has been highlighted whereby dog owners in Co Cork can be fined for not having a licence, but not for failing to have their pets microchipped, it has been claimed.

Fianna Fáil councillor Audrey Buckley, who lives in Crosshaven and is a well-known advocate for animal rights, said Central Statistics Office (CSO) data shows that roughly one in three households in Ireland has a dog.