Microchipping your dog

Every year Brighton & Hove City Council’s animal wardens collect around 200 stray dogs across the city.

The number of strays generally peaks during the summer - with hot weather, children off school and more people at home, it’s easy for doors or gates to be left open by mistake, or for dogs to wander from their owners at a picnic or summer event.

With this in mind, the council’s animal wardens are reminding dog owners to make sure their pet is microchipped and has a tag with contact details on the collar. Both are legal requirements and mean the animal’s owner can be quickly be traced.

It’s also really important to keep microchip and tag information up to date if you change your address or change your phone number, the more contact numbers you include the greater chance of getting your dog back quickly.  Wardens regularly find strays where the microchip contact details are out of date. Details can be updated by contacting the company which holds your pet’s microchip information.

Unfortunately, not all strays can be reunited with their owners. The council collected approximately 200 stray dogs between April 2016 and April this year, while the majority were reunited with their owners, 39 had incorrect chip details and 33 of them were unclaimed.  Once they have been thoroughly checked and assessed at kennels, where possible they are rehomed through local animal rescue centres.

If you are thinking of getting a dog, the animal wardens suggest going to a rehoming or rescue centre.

For more information, visit www.brighton-hove.gov.uk/animalwardens.