Earlier this month, the Government announced that all dogs in England must be microchipped by April 2016. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home is offering a free microchipping and name tag engraving service at Windrush Square, Brixton on Monday 4 March, and Ruskin Park, Denmark Hill on Wednesday 13 March from 11am – 4pm.

Less than one third of all dogs arriving at Battersea are microchipped and the charity believes permanent identification of dogs will help to reduce the problem of stray dogs and help reunite more pets with their owners.

After spending two Christmases at Battersea Dogs & Cats Home Old Windsor, Fenton a Staffordshire Bull Terrier has been given a new start to life thanks to Veronica and Jim McKnight from Sheerness in Kent.
 

Government to implement compulsory microchipping in England and Wales

The Kennel Club has today pledged to gift microchip scanners to every local authority in England and Wales in support of the government’s decision to introduce compulsory microchipping for all dogs.

Government decides all dogs in England must be microchipped:
Battersea and other charities to offer free chipping

Today’s Government decision that all dogs in England must be microchipped by April 2016 has been warmly welcomed by leading animal charity Battersea Dogs & Cats Home.
The ruling gives dog owners over three years to ensure their dog is chipped, and for some who have experienced the trauma of their dog going missing in the past, today’s news is common sense and can’t come quick enough.

DOGS TRUST RESPONSE TO LANDMARK DECISION ON COMPULSORY MICROCHIPPING
 
Dogs Trust, the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, has hailed the Government’s commitment to introduce compulsory microchipping for all dogs as a watershed for dog welfare.
 
Dogs Trust has long campaigned for the introduction of compulsory microchipping, which has proven to be the most effective way of ensuring lost dogs are returned to their owners.
 

All dogs in England will need to be microchipped to help tackle the growing problem of strays roaming the streets, Environment Secretary Owen Paterson announced today.
 
Each year more than 100,000 dogs are dumped or lost at a cost of £57 million to the taxpayer and welfare charities.