You can be fined up to £500 if your dog or cat is not microchipped when they need to be.
By law -
- all dogs need to be microchipped by 8 weeks old
- from 10 Jun 2024 all cats will need to be microchipped by 20 weeks old
Your pet’s microchip contains a number. It will show up whenever they are scanned.
You must make sure that your dog or cat is on a government approved register. GOV.uk hold a list of approved registers as well as more information on microchipping.
Keeping information up to date
Once microchipped, it is important that ownership details are kept up to date. This is to make sure you are complying with the law and that your pet can be returned if lost.
Once your dog or cat is microchipped, you must update the microchip details through the microchip database operator if there are any changes.
This includes changes to -
- address
- telephone number
- owner
If you do not know the chip number, visit a local veterinary practice or rescue centre. They can scan your pet.
Microchipping of dogs and cats in customer's own home is £18 per animal.
Request microchipping for your cat or dog (opens in a new window)