Following Minister for Agriculture Simon Coveney’s announcement earlier this year, microchipping of dogs has become compulsory since last Tuesday 1 September. This means that from this week owners of puppies will be required to a have a microchip inserted into the animal by a certified vet, which will carry details of the dog, as well as the owner’s name, address and contact details. The scheme is set be extended also, with a requirement to have all dogs microchipped by 31 March 2016.

The initiative is also aimed at ensuring information is renewed when dogs change ownership or their owner changes their address.

When the law was announced, Minister Coveney said microchipping would have positive benefits in protecting the welfare of all dogs and helping to speedily unite stray dogs with their owners. He added that it will also act as “a deterrent for those who abandon dogs and assist in identifying marauding dogs and those that pose a threat to livestock or people”.

Enforcement

Local authorities, the DAFM and An Garda Síochána will be responsible for enforcing the new law. Vets will also be asked to remind owners to microchip their dogs. Owners of dogs found without a chip after April 2016 will have a short amount of time to have the procedure carried out, with those refusing to microchip their dogs facing a possible fine of up to €5,000.

Dog owners should be aware that they are still required to hold a dog licence as the two systems are not linked at the moment. However, they could be linked in the future.

Although the minister said the cost of implanting microchips and data registration services has fallen in recent times, the obligatory microchipping law will impose a cost in the region of €20 to €50 on dog owners.

Microchipping initiatives

In conjunction with the new law, a number of initiatives are being run to raise awareness and also encourage dog owners to start microchipping. Dogs Trust Ireland will be running a Microchip Awareness campaign in association with Fido.ie. This will see up to 116 dogs a day receiving free microchips across Ireland.

The Dogs Trust centre in Dublin will be providing free microchipping on 5 and 19 September by appointment. For those not living in Dublin, there is a limited amount of free microchipping appointments on offer through a network of participating vets around Ireland. A list of participating veterinary clinics is listed on www.dogstrust.ie. Dog owners are asked to contact these practices directly to enquire about availability and book an appointment as microchip numbers are limited per practice.

Many practices are offering one free microchip per dog owner, with the remaining dogs costing €20 each thereafter. It is important for dog owners to note that photo ID and proof of address will be needed at your appointment or your dog can not be microchipped. This applies to most veterinary practices nationwide as the information will then be stored on one of a number of databases.

Dogs Trust are also offering a subsidised neutering and microchipping campaign for people in receipt of means-tested social welfare payments. This scheme is also offered through a number of participating vets around Ireland. At the beginning of each year, Dogs Trust issues these practices with an allocation of vouchers to offer the service to the people of their area. Each voucher enables a person to have their dog neutered and microchipped for €20 and Dogs Trust will meet the balance with the vet.

Dogs can be neutered from the age of four months, with recovery expected to take approximately 10 days but this can vary depending on how your dog reacts to the surgery. Dogs Trust encourages owners to neuter their dogs, explaining it does not affect a dog’s ability to work, as well as no longer having female dogs (not targeted for breeding) spend time away from their job due to being in heat. The company says neutering also decreases the chances of womb infection and cancer, which can be fatal.

Health tips

It is also worth taking the opportunity to carry out a health check when bringing your dog to the vet for microchipping. Scottish veterinary practitioner Ruth Hastings has previously given excellent advice on the subject of keeping working dogs in good health. She highlights three key areas that should be kept in mind – vaccination, flea control and diet (see below).

Vaccination

Pups usually receive their first vaccination at eight weeks, a second injection is given two weeks after and completes the primary course. However, full immunity is not developed until after the second injection, so the earliest a pup can be safely mixed with other dogs is at 11 weeks. To maintain protection of your dog, an annual booster is required.

Flea control

Most common during the summer months, fleas affect most dogs at some point, causing irritation, allergic reaction and in severe cases, anaemia. Treatment is recommended and, depending on the product, it is normally given every one to two months.

Diet

A working dog can be compared to a professional endurance athlete, which means high energy needs are required from their diet. A basic maintenance diet should include 20% protein, 10% oils and fats, 2.5% to 5% fibre and 6% ash. On a day with a heavy workload, the dog will require higher levels of protein and other nutrients than it would on a day off and therefore the diet needs to be boosted on these occasions. Care should be taken not to overwork dogs, especially young dogs.

Click here for more from our Animal Health 2015 special supplement