Ernie Clark. Hilperton Division, Wiltshire Council.

Press release from West Wiltshire District Council.
An average of 160 strays are retrieved by the dog warden every year - these are pets that have no means of identification and are found to be wandering the streets, yet it is a legal requirement for a dog to wear a collar with ID stating its name and address.

In order to promote responsible dog ownership, the Council is launching an appointment based ‘at home’ microchipping service from Monday 7 November, which will cost just £15 per dog.

John Carter, environmental health manager, said: “We hope that, by promoting dog microchipping and responsible dog ownership, the number of strays in West Wiltshire will significantly reduce. With this new service, one of our staff will visit you at home to microchip your pet - making it both quick and easy.”

The microchip is the size of a grain of rice, and it sits in the scruff of the dog's neck forever once it has been inserted - this is a process that is very quick and no more painful than a quick injection. The microchip has a unique identification number, which can be read by a scanner to give the owner's name and address details.

Cllr. Gordon Cox, the environmental health portfolio holder, added: “Microchipping really is the easiest way of making sure that your dog can be identified. Collars and name tags can be lost, but the dog warden, the police and vets can access the information stored in the microchip to ensure that dogs are safely returned to their owners. I would urge any pet owner whose dog is not tagged in this way to make the most of this new service.”

For more information on the dog microchipping service or to make an appointment, contact the dog warden on 01225 770369.