Microchipping Initiatives

For dogs born after the 6/01/1999, identification is compulsory starting the age of 4 months, whether they are subject to ownership transfer or not.

Starting 3/07/2011 the identification with transponder (microchipping) is compulsory for pets in order to travel to/from countries of the European Union. Pets identified by tattoo before this date can continue to travel in the European Union, if the tattoo is legible.

The owner or holder of a pet registered with the National Identification Register for Pets has to report any status changes (address and ownership, the death of the pet).

In case of loss or theft of a pet, the register, accessible to town halls, veterinarians, firemen, police forces and dog rescues, can help to reunite owners with their pets.

The National Dog Register was founded by the SCC in 1971 at the request of the Ministry of Agriculture, in order to list all dogs, purebred or not, identified by microchip or tattoo.

Since the 1st of January 2013, the SNVEL (the National Union of Veterinary Surgeons) and the SCC have founded a joint structure, called I-CAD, the sole body authorised by the Ministry of Agriculture to manage the National Register for the Identification of Domestic Carnivores.

Key figures:

• over 10 million dogs listed
• over 700,000 dogs registered per year
• over 300,000 status changes per year
• about 70,000 dogs found and reunited with their owners yearly

Website: https://www.i-cad.fr

I-CAD and SCC are members of EUROPETNET, a group of national and local associations based across Europe who register information about pets identified with a transponder and their owners.

Website: http://www.europetnet.com

Petlog Registration (microchip registration)

The Kennel Club believes that microchipping makes a clear link between a dog and its owner.

As part of the measures the government is introducing secondary legislation under the Animal Welfare Act 2006 from 6 April 2016, requiring the microchipping of all dogs in England.

Also see: http://www.thekennelclub.org.uk/petlog