Petition No Compulsory Microchipping of Dogs - Right to Choose

DEFRA are consulting on amendments to the Dangerous Dogs Act and recommending compulsory micro-chipping of all dogs as part of the new regulations. We believe that a micro-chip does not make a dog safer or an owner more responsible, and furthermore the safety of micro-chipping has simply been assumed. This is NOT universally agreed. Some responsible owners choose not to use microchips to identify their animals because of research that questions their long-term safety. Tattoos and other alternatives exist and should be considered legitimate alternative measures not least because they do not require specialist equipment to read and could therefore prove even more helpful to organisations involved in returning lost pets to owners and to authorities in contacting the owners of problem dogs. Please sign up if you'd like DEFRA to think again and preserve your right to choose the method of identification you believe is best and safest for your 'best friend'.