HARLOW dog owners are being warned that all dogs over eight weeks old must be microchipped from 6 April. The change in the law follows the implementation of the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015.

Councils and the police can scan dogs to check ownership details have been kept up to date. If there is no chip or the wrong ownership details are registered, they can serve a formal notice requiring the dog to be microchipped or records updated within 21 days. Failure to comply with the notice can result in a £500 fine.

Breeders must microchip puppies before selling them and the first name on the microchip record will be that of the breeder. No one may transfer a dog to a new keeper unless it has been microchipped and any new keeper must make sure that they update the database with which the dog is recorded.