NEARLY 250 lost dogs face being put down because owners have not updated their pet’s microchip details.
The Dogs Trust said while overall the number of strays in Scotland is down by nearly 20 per cent, there were almost 2,000 left in kennels over a year.
It said 243 of these face possible destruction because their microchip details have not been updated by the owner.
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The trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, is urging pet owners in Scotland to ensure they keep the details on their dog’s microchip up-to-date after its annual Stray Dog Survey.
It said owners still need to know more about the new law and fines for failing to act.
Since April dog owners must make sure their pet is fitted with a microchip by the time it is eight weeks old, or face a fine of up to £500.
Microchipping generally costs between £15-£30 but can be done free by the trust, with a donation if possible.
The Stray Dog Survey figures for Scotland said there was good news with 4,073 stray and abandoned dogs handled by local councils in the region between 2015 and 2016, which was 17 per cent decrease from the 4,945 dogs handled during the same period the year before.
However, there were 1,843 stray dogs in Scotland not claimed by their owners and left in council kennels between 2015 and 2016 trust said it is of these that the 243 face being put down because owners haven’t updated their dog’s microchip details.
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Across Scotland, the number of strays that were reunited with their owners remains in line with last year, with 427 dogs reunited with their owners as a result of the dog having a microchip.
The charity said it is hoped that this number will continue to grow across the country, as microchipping became compulsory for all dogs in England, Scotland and Wales.
Sandra Lawton, Dogs Trust Glasgow Rehoming Centre manager, said: "It’s shocking to learn that 4 per cent of the unclaimed dogs in Scotland are actually much-loved family pets who are left languishing in kennels or, worse, face being put to sleep without their owner’s knowledge, simply because their owners were too forgetful to update their details on the microchip database.
"It’s heartbreaking that these lost dogs will never find their way home, as it’s something which could so easily have been avoided with a bit of forward planning.”
She added: "Microchipping became compulsory in Northern Ireland in 2012 and in England, Scotland and Wales on April 6 this year but it’s not enough for owners to get their dogs microchipped, it’s also a legal requirement for them to make sure their details are up to date on the relevant microchip database too.
"Microchipping is the most effective way of ensuring a beloved pet is safely reunited with its owner, but this simply cannot happen without the details on the relevant database being up-to-date.”
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Microchipping is usually harmless and painless, but a pet may be exempt if a vet certifies that microchipping could adversely affect the animal’s health.
A dog only needs to be microchipped once, but it is the owner’s responsibility to keep the details up to date, such as change address, and making appropriate amendments should an animal be sold or given to someone else.
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