This petition was submitted during the 2019-2024 parliament
Petition Fern’s Law: Compulsory to scan & check microchips to reunite stolen dogs, cats.
Many missing microchipped pets are never reunited as it’s optional to scan & check microchip registration. It’s time veterinary professionals, authorities and rescues checked pet & keeper match on the original database at a pets 1st consultation or yearly checkup. It’s their only chance to get home
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Vets can play a valuable role in reuniting missing microchipped pets. We have microchipped our pets with the expectation to be reunited if the worst happens and they are lost or stolen. If just one organisation is not committed to scan and check microchip registration the whole system fails and is not fit for purpose. Legislation is needed to replace half hearted ‘strengthened, best practice recommendations’ VetsGetScanning.co.uk
This petition is closed This petition ran for 6 months
Parliament debated this topic
This topic was debated on 28 June 2021
Government responded
This response was given on 2 April 2020
BVA and RCVS provide necessary guidance to scan dogs. We will consider reform options including whether this should be mandatory as part of Post Implementation Review of the microchipping regulations.
Read the response in full
It is a legal requirement for all owners to microchip their dogs, and to enter the details onto a database. British Veterinary Association (BVA) best practice is that vets should scan dogs on first presentation at their practice, and at other regular intervals including prior to euthanasia, where euthanasia is deemed the appropriate course of action by the veterinary expert. BVA’s website sets out their position on scanning: https://www.bva.co.uk/News-campaigns-and-policy/Policy/Companion-animals/Microchipping/
The guidance includes advice on what a vet should do if the details of the person presenting the dog are different to what is recorded on the database, and what to do when stray or lost animals are brought to the practice by checking the microchipping databases in order to reunite the animal with their owner.
The Government considers that advice from BVA and RCVS (Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons) provides veterinary professionals with helpful guidance on conducting appropriate scanning and to protect the welfare of dogs. Ministers will continue to emphasise the importance of vets scanning pet animals when they are first presented to their surgery.
Since 6 April 2016, all dogs in England and Wales must be microchipped and registered on an approved database by the time they are eight weeks’ old. Since we made microchipping compulsory, the number of dogs microchipped has gone up from around 58% of all dogs in 2013 to over 90% of all dogs. This means that about 8.5 million dogs in the United Kingdom are microchipped. We also advise cat owners to get their cat microchipped and it was a manifesto commitment to introduce compulsory microchipping for cats. As part of this commitment we recently completed a Call For Evidence on cat microchipping which attracted over 3,000 responses. We are in the process of analysing the responses and will publish a summary of the responses together with a way forward in due course.
The Government is also considering proposals for the scanning of dogs by vets as part of the ongoing Post Implementation Review of The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015.
Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs
Related activity
Petitions Committee requests update from Government on work on microchipping of animals
The Chair of the Petitions Committee has written to the Government to ask for an update on its work on the microchipping of dogs and cats.
In its responses to two petitions about this issue, the Government talked about a Post Implementation Review of The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015, and a consultation on cat microchipping. The letter asks for an update on the outcome of this work.
We'll let you know when we receive a response to this letter.
Read the full letter here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/2350/documents/23125/default/
Follow the Committee on Twitter for updates on our work on this issue and others: https://www.twitter.com/hocpetitions
Who is the Petitions Committee?
The Petitions Committee is a cross-party group of MPs that looks at e-petitions submitted on petition.parliament.uk. The Committee is independent from Government.
You can find out more about the Petitions Committee and its work on our website: http://www.parliament.uk/petitions-committee/role
Government responds to request for an update on its work on microchipping pets
The Petitions Committee has today published a letter from George Eustice MP, Secretary of State of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs. This was in response to the Committee’s request for an update on the Government’s work on the microchipping of pets, and in particular the Post Implementation Review (PIR) of The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015.
In response, the Secretary of State says that the Government hopes to complete the review by the end of this year, including a consultation on cat microchipping in the next three months.
You can read the response in full here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/2678/documents/26592/default/
You can find the original letter to the Secretary of State here: https://committees.parliament.uk/publications/2350/documents/23125/default/
Follow the Committee on Twitter for updates on our work on this issue and others: https://www.twitter.com/hocpetitions
James Daly MP introduces proposed law on the scanning of animals
James Daly MP has introduced a proposed law in the House of Commons that would require vets to scan microchips for owner and rescue back-up details before euthanising a healthy animal.
The proposed law was introduced as a Private Members Bill under what is known as the 'ten minute rule'. The ten minute rule allows a backbench MP to make his or her case for a new Bill in a speech lasting up to ten minutes. An opposing speech may also be made before the House decides whether or not the Bill should be introduced. If the MP is successful the Bill is taken to have had its first reading.
The ten minute rule provides an opportunity for an MP who is not a Government Minister to make the case for a new law, or a change to an existing one, in the hope of building support from other MPs across the House of Commons.
Watch: https://parliamentlive.tv/event/index/0009adeb-326b-4d99-bb7c-53719ca09d61?in=14:43:49&out=14:53:25
Find out more about Private Members Bills: https://www.parliament.uk/about/how/laws/bills/private-members/
Share your views on Cat and Dog Microchipping and Scanning in England
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched a consultation on Cat and Dog Microchipping and Scanning in England. They want to know what you think about plans to introduce compulsory cat microchipping in England and how you think this should be implemented.
They also want to know whether you think vets and other bodies should be required to scan cats and dogs for microchips in certain situations. For example, prior to euthanasia.
You can find out more about the consultation and contribute here: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/companion-animals-team/cat-and-dog-microchipping-and-scanning-in-england/
The consultation closes at 5.00pm on 17 February 2021.
When will this petition be debated?
The Petitions Committee is currently unable to schedule its usual debates on petitions that have received over 100,000 signatures, because of the closure of Westminster Hall, where petitions debates normally take place. We will let you know as soon as a debate on this petition has been scheduled.
Government consultation on Cat and Dog Microchipping and Scanning in England - corrected link
Yesterday we sent a message about Defra's consultation on Cat and Dog Microchipping and Scanning in England. Some petitioners have reported a problem in accessing the consultation through the link. We're very sorry about this. Please use this link if you'd like to share your views and haven't been able to access it: https://consult.defra.gov.uk/companion-animals-team/cat-and-dog-microchipping-and-scanning-in-england/
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has launched this consultation on Cat and Dog Microchipping and Scanning in England to find out what you think about plans to introduce compulsory cat microchipping in England and how you think this should be implemented.
They also want to know whether you think vets and other bodies should be required to scan cats and dogs for microchips in certain situations. For example, prior to euthanasia.
There are a number of questions in the consultation about compulsory microchipping and scanning, including "Do you think veterinarians should be required to scan cats and dogs upon first presentation?"
The consultation closes at 5.00pm on 17 February 2021.
Government announces plans for new animal welfare laws
As part of the Queen's Speech on Tuesday 11th May, the Government announced that it plans to introduce new laws to protect and promote the highest standards of animal welfare in the UK.
The Government's proposals are set out in a new Action Plan for Animal Welfare, which was published this week. Its proposals focus on improving the welfare of pets and farmed animals, and protecting wild animals in the UK and animals exported or found outside the UK.
The Government intends to introduce three new Bills into Parliament to make these changes - the Animal Welfare (Sentience) Bill, the Kept Animals Bill, and the Animals Abroad Bill. These Bills will be published in due course.
Read more about the Government's plans here:
https://www.gov.uk/government/news/uk-to-lead-the-way-on-animal-welfare-through-flagship-new-action-plan
Read the Queen's Speech background briefing notes for more information on the Government's proposed Bills:
https://www.gov.uk/government/publications/queens-speech-2021-background-briefing-notes
What is the Queen's Speech?
The Queen's Speech is the speech that the Queen reads out in the House of Lords Chamber on the occasion of the State Opening of Parliament.
It's written by the Government and sets out the programme of Bills - new laws, and changes to existing laws - that the Government intends to put forward in this new Parliamentary session. A session of Parliament usually lasts around one year.
Once the Government puts forward a Bill in Parliament, Parliament then debates the Government's proposal and decides whether to adopt the changes to the law set out in the Bill.
Government publishes the results of its consultation on cat and dog microchipping and scanning
On 4 December, the Government published a summary of the responses to its consultation on cat and dog microchipping and scanning. The Government has also published its response, setting out a series of actions it plans to take on this issue.
Read the summary of consultation responses: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/cat-and-dog-microchipping-and-scanning-in-england/outcome/summary-of-responses-and-government-response
In their response to the consultation, the Government confirms that it plans to introduce compulsory cat microchipping. The Government also says it is reviewing the database system to identify practical measures which could improve its operation, and will publicly consult on improvements to the existing microchipping system, including the operation of databases, before introducing secondary legislation covering both cats and dogs.
Read the Government's response: https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/cat-and-dog-microchipping-and-scanning-in-england/outcome/summary-of-responses-and-government-response#part-2-government-response