Dear constituent,

Thank you for contacting me about microchip scanning.

I am aware that two parliamentary petitions are calling for compulsory microchip scanning by vets to reunite stolen pets with their owners and to prevent healthy rescue dogs being euthanised unnecessarily. Pets are much loved members of the family and it must be very upsetting in cases such as these where a pet is stolen or needlessly put down.

There is a clear strength of feeling on this issue, demonstrated by both petitions receiving over 100,000 signatures. The petitions will be considered for debate in Parliament and I welcome the opportunity to consider these matters further.

Responding to the petitions, the Government highlighted the guidance that the British Veterinary Association (BVA) and the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons (RCVS) provides to veterinary professionals on conducting scanning. This includes scanning to help unite lost and stray dogs with their owners and for cases where the details of the person presenting the dog are different to what is recorded on the microchip database.

The Government is considering proposals for the compulsory scanning of dogs by vets as part of the Post Implementation Review of The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015. It says it aims to complete the review before the end of the year.

Mandatory microchipping of dogs has been in place since 2016, and I support the expansion of compulsory microchipping to cats as well. The Government has pledged to bring forward cat microchipping. It held a call for evidence which closed in January and says it plans to hold a further consultation later this year.

Thank you once again for contacting me and sharing your views.  

Yours sincerely,

Peter Dowd MP