‘Don’t skip the chip’ says Dog Warden in lead up to free microchipping event
Dog owners across the local area are invited to the Countryside Centre at Worcester Woods Country Park on Wednesday 26 November to get their dogs microchipped for free.
The drop-in event will take place between noon and 2pm. Residents can visit with their four-legged friend during a time that suits them, no booking required.
Funding towards the microchips has been provided by the South Worcestershire Community Safety Partnership. This will be the first time the event is ran by Worcestershire Regulatory Service (WRS), on behalf of Worcester City Council.
Despite regulation being in place since 2016, it is not common knowledge that all dogs in the UK must be microchipped and registered by the time they are eight weeks of age.
The community engagement follows a growing concern that not all dogs are being microchipped in the South Worcestershire area.
Last year the WRS Dog Warden team, a shared public service for the six district councils in Worcestershire, found that 49% of stray dogs seized were not microchipped across the Wychavon, Malvern Hills and Worcester City Council area.
Pip Griffin, Senior Dog Warden for Worcestershire Regulatory Services, said: “It is important that if a member of the public chooses to bring a furry friend into their homes, that they do so responsibly.
“Unsupervised dogs can be a risk to community safety and owners may be fined if we retrieve their pet. This event is a no judgement no questions asked space, so please don’t skip the chip, and bring your dog down to the Countryside Centre.”
Dog owners can expect to meet the Dog Warden team during the event, alongside a veterinary nurse who will place the microchip. Owners will also have the opportunity to speak with staff on any concerns they have regarding their pets.
The event forms part of WRS’ strategic priority to promote the responsible sale, breeding and ownership of dogs.
Councillor Karen Holmes, Vice Chair of Worcester City Council’s Licensing and Environmental Health Committee said: “Microchipping is one of the simplest ways to ensure that lost dogs are quickly reunited with their owners, and events like this make it easy and accessible for everyone to do the right thing.
“I’d encourage all dog owners to come along if your pet isn’t microchipped, meet the team, and take advantage of this free service.
“The law also includes microchipping of cats. Recently I took a stray cat, who had been living outside my house, to the vets and she had been missing from her Droitwich home since July.
“Without her microchip we would never have found her owners who are thrilled to have her back safe and sound.”