As of 16th May 2023, the old Microchipping Regulations have been revoked and replaced with The Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023. https://www.legislation.gov.uk/uksi/2023/468/made/data.pdf
Although the microchipping of cats won’t become compulsory until 10th June 2024, cats over the age of 20 weeks must be microchipped, registered on a UK database with up to date contact information. These new regulations now cover both cats and dogs and offences, such as failing to microchip will have the same consequences.
You can be fined up to £500 if your dog is not registered on a UK database which meets Government standards, that includes pets entering the UK with foreign microchips. Pets arriving in the UK who do not have an ISO standard microchip must get another microchip implanted. You can also be fined if your contact details are not kept up to date. (Same for cats from 10 June’24)
Your dog must still wear a collar and tag with your name and address when in a public place.
BREEDERS: The new regulations now put much more onus on the original breeder and stipulate that their details must remain on a pets microchip as a secondary contact as well as having the new owners’ information.
Additionally, all licensed breeders will be expected to include their license number as well as the authority that licenses them on the chip.
No mention of the Government’s consultations on ‘Cat and Dog Microchip and Scanning’ ? Summary of Responses to the Defra consultation: Summary of responses and government response – GOV.UK
Find out where your dog’s registered
You can check your microchip here https://www.petdatabase.com/chip-checker if you do not know which database your dog is registered on.
If you do not have the microchip number, you can ask any of the following to scan your dog for it:
- a vet
- a dog warden
- a dog rescue centre
Government list of databases meeting UK standards. https://www.gov.uk/get-your-dog-microchipped
In the regulations we are categorised as the ‘keeper’.
Here is the link to the previous Compulsory Dog Microchipping Regulations: The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015
