The whole microchipping system in place today is a farce and seriously needs over-hauling if not completely updating despite the new regulations for compulsory microchipping of all dogs from 6th April 2016.
Facts & Figures
94% of pet owners believe their dog/cat would be scanned if it went missing and was subsequently found, when they were informed that there may be no check to make sure owner and pet matched at vets, rescues and authorities a 100% wanted scanning made law. (SAMPA)
29% dogs go missing once during their lifetime. (Dogs Trust)
16,122 dogs and 55,038 cats that were reported missing to Petlog between 2003 to May 2014 had NOT been reunited with their owner. (Petlog – June’14) (Petlog is the largest of the 7 UK database).
Some 17,000 lost and found dogs were registered with DogLost in 2015. 7,000 were reunited. (DogLost.co.uk)
20% increase in dog theft between 2013/2014 and 2014/2015 (Mirror 1/6/2015)
102,363 stray and abandoned dogs were handled by local councils across the UK between 2014 and 2015. 47,596 dogs were left behind in council pounds. (Dogs Trust Stray Dogs Survey 2015)
PDSA say 83% of dogs are microchip (PDSA Wellbeing Report 2015).
As many as 39,500 microchipped stray dogs may NOT have been scanned by local authorities in 2014/15 (Calculated using information from Dogs Trust and PDSA by Dog Union)
Statement: “Scanning can have significant cost and practical implications” (DEFRA/Dogs Today -June 2014)
Fact: A Halo Scanner is cost effective and typically costing around £50. Low priced so vets can afford to have a scanner in each consulting room. It is Scanner Angel enabled giving instant automatic recognition of missing animals with contact number. (Scanner Angel)
Horses are not being scanned by vets, marts, transport companies, knacker’s yards and slaughter houses. Prof Chris Elliott at the 2015 Fighting Food Fraud conference warned that the UK is still at risk of another similar horse meat scandal unless it is taken seriously by authorities and police. (Horse & Hounds)
