Microchipping of Dogs - Check the Chip Campaign

Published: 12 August 2024

Check the Chip Awareness Day! 15/08/2024
Microchipping of Dogs & Cats (England) Regulations 2023

Dogs are one of the nation’s favourite pets with an estimated 13 million dogs living in homes around the UK.

Sometimes a dog will stray from their home, and this can cause owners and their pets great emotional distress and anxiety.

In the last financial year Dover District Council received 147 calls regarding lost or stray dogs resulting in 60 stray dogs being taken in by DDC.

Dover District Council’s Dog Warden works hard to try and reunite as many stray dogs with their owners as possible and need your help.

Since 2016 there has been a legal requirement for dog owners to have their dogs implanted with a microchip under the above regulations. A microchip is only considered legally valid under these regulations if the contact information held for the owner is up to date with their microchip’s database. These regulations require puppies to be microchipped form 8 weeks old.

Last year 71% of the stray dogs taken in did not have valid microchips, meaning delays were caused in returning dogs to owners and fees incurred because of the Council having to kennel their dog whilst they were identified.

DDC would like to invite you to assist us raising awareness of this issue and national ‘check the chip’ day which is due to take place on the 15th of August 2024.

Please find attached some posters and leaflets to display in any public areas you have together with some leaflets for new and existing dog owners.

Should you wish to discuss this further or to request additional posters or leaflets please contact them by emailing envcrime@dover.gov.uk.

Keep Your Dog Safe

Lost or Stray

Microchipping Leaflets