On 6th April 2016 microchipping will be a legal requirement but Trevor Cooper, a solicitor specialising in dog law, confirmed that at the moment microchipping was not proof of ownership.
In cases where possession was disputed, a civil case before the small claims court would decide a dog’s future.
A judge would consider the merits of the microchip against other evidence, including who has cared for the dog and paid veterinary charges.
The court would then act in the best interests of the dog.
Dogs are considered as objects ‘goods and chattels’ and are considered the same as a car.
We are told by a Police Inspector, specialist in crime and operations:- In car cases where there is no evidence to support a theft or the suspect in possession of the vehicle as the same person who stole it, and the person being an innocent purchaser the vehicle is left with who has possession of it and for civil proceedings to resolve the ownership issue. This applies to dogs too.
