THE LAW
Since April 2016, all dogs in England and Wales must be microchipped and registered on an authorised microchip database by the age of 8 weeks and before transfer to a new keeper. Owners are required by law to keep their contact details up to date on the microchip database.
If a dog is not microchipped or the contact details aren’t kept up to date, then a notice may be served requiring the keeper to microchip the dog within 21 days of the served notice. You’ll have 21 days to do so or you may be liable to pay a £500 fine and could face criminal prosecution.
It is also law that any dog in a public place must wear an ID tag with their keeper’s surname and address (including postcode). We engrave personalised tags while-you-wait at the Woodside Pet Shop from just £5.99.
You also can be fined up to £5,000 if your dog does not wear an identification tag.
THE FACTS
Microchipping is a simple, safe and quick procedure that can make all the difference in being reunited with your pet should they stray or go missing. Thousands of pets go missing each year, and many of these are never returned to their owners. It is heartbreaking to see the number of stray and lost cats whose families are almost impossible to locate without a microchip.
The microchip is the size of a grain of rice and the procedure, which is carried out by a vet or trained microchip implanter, takes only a few minutes but lasts a lifetime. The chip is inserted between the shoulder blades using a needle, very similar to having an injection. You will not be able to see or feel the chip once it has been inserted.
The microchip is detected using an electronic scanner which vets, rescue centres and dog wardens will have. It is good practice to get your vet to scan the pet when it goes in for its annual vaccination. If your pet is found, it will be scanned, the microchip database will then be contacted to get your details in order to contact you and reunite you both.
WHAT DO I DO NOW?
We microchip here at Woodside Animal Centre for only £7.99 – a small price to pay for the safety and security of your pet. Beat the price increase on the 1st Sept where the new price will be £9.95.
Call us on 0116 233 6677 or email animalcare@rspcaleicester.org.uk if you would like to arrange to get your pet microchipped.
The Magic of Microchips:
Ernie’s Story
This heartwarming story is about a beautiful big tabby cat who was brought to Woodside in September 2018 by a member of the public who was concerned that he didn’t have a home. We scanned him for a microchip, expecting no joy – but this time, the cat was chipped! Brilliant!
Next, we have to rely on people remembering to keep their microchip details updated. After a few times ringing the phone number on the chip, we weren’t sure if we would ever get through, but we persisted.
It turned out that Ernie had gone missing over two years ago, and his family had since moved out of Leicester to Yorkshire, assuming the worst. We weren’t sure if they would want to collect Ernie after all this time, but they told us that they still had his sister, Margot, and that they would drive down to collect him immediately!
Such a happy story of a loving, dedicated family – and a reminder to all of us to get our beloved pets microchipped and keep the details up to date!
Opening Hours
Centre Open for General Animal Viewing
We are open to the public to have a look around on Thursdays, Saturday and Sundays from 11:00 to 15:00
We look forward to seeing you soon.
Pet Shop and Reception
Open 7 Days a week
Monday - Friday: 08:30 to 16:30
Saturday & Sunday: 09:00 to 16:00
If you are interested in adopting an animal in our care, please go to the animal profile pages and complete the contact forms. Our team will then contact you to discuss the current adoption process.
Contact Us
Post:
Woodside Animal Centre
190 Scudamore Road,
Leicester
LE3 1UQ
Phone:
General Enquiries: 0116 233 6677
Woodside Pet Shop: 0116 233 6677
RSPCA Cruelty Line: 0300 1234 999
What's happening on Facebook...
