All #dogs in England will, from April 2016, have to be microchipped as part of a government attempt to cut the number of strays and make #pet #owners more responsible for their #animals.
Each year about 110,000 dogs in Britain are abandoned or lost, at a cost of £57m to the taxpayer and welfare charities. In more than half the cases the owners cannot be identified.
Microchips, which are the size of a grain of rice and are fitted under the skin between the dog's shoulder blades, allow vets, councils and charities to find out who owns a dog if it is thought to be a stray.
About 60% of the UK's 8m pet dogs are already microchipped, but from 6 April 2016 it will become compulsory, with the dog registered on one of the authorised commercial databases. Owners will also have to register the details of any new owner if they sell or give the dog away.
Anyone who breaks the rules gets a short period to comply with the law, then the next stage is a fine of up to £500.
The environment secretary, Owen Paterson, said: "It's a shame that in a nation of dog lovers, thousands of dogs are roaming the streets or stuck in kennels because the owner cannot be tracked down. I am determined to put an end to this and ease the pressure on charities and councils to find new homes for these dogs."
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