A new English law requires canine microchipping, following Northern Ireland’s compulsory microchipping law (2012).  Whether a dog is lost during travels or a block from home, the regulation is expected to return lost dogs to families with greater efficiency while reducing the time and expense to shelters and kennels.  The overall aim is reducing strays, and this law may also  lower the number of dogs who are released or “dumped” or stolen.  In the U.S. and elsewhere where microchips aren’t compulsory, they can still provide peace of mind and an identification method that cannot be tampered with or easily removed.

Reducing the number of strays is appealing, especially with a relatively low cost solution like microchipping.  It’s predicted that microchipping law will improve reunification statistics and make a significant impact on the number of dogs returned to families.  Once a veterinarian implants a microchip, it must be registered with accurate and complete contact information.

Check the Chip

It’s recommended microchips are scanned annually during routine veterinary visits to check functionality.  Whenever you move or change phone numbers and update dog tags, contact the registry to update information.  A microchip still requires action: companion animal caregivers must remember to update contact information with microchip service providers for them to be effective.

Find more on tips for dealing with lost and found dogs from the National Dog Warden Association (NDWA) The law took effect April 6, and those who do not comply may face fines up to £500.

About microchips

• size: comparable to a grain of rice
• placement: between the shoulders
• pain: no anesthesia is required, and it’s compared to the discomfort of vaccinations
• materials: the chip is encased in glass and activated by a scanner
• impact: one study indicated microchipped animals were roughly 30% more likely to be reunited with families
• maintenance: yearly scanning during regular veterinary check ups is recommended
• availability: talk to your veterinarian and learn more about microchipping

Considering Ownership and Personhood

Though numerous animal advocates and rescue associations promote microchipping as an expedient solution to reunite animals with their families, the use of microchips seems to reinforce the conceptual notion of animals-as-property.  Though dogs and other animals demonstrate emotions, empathy, and sentience, their legal status remains that of property, and currently laws limit personhood to human animals (despite recent pending efforts).  Human interests are subsequently elevated over other animals.

For those interested in animal ethics, this knowledge may leave an uncomfortable residue of moral ambiguity on choices that seem to further underscore the idea that humans “own” animals.  Asking, Would I microchip another loved one?  Under what circumstances?  may provide insight into the dilemma.  Salient features of the issue may become discernible by reflecting on the beneficiaries of the action.  The improved chances and speedy return to a forever home benefits all parties, including companion animals; this also reduces space and financial constraints in shelters.  Microchipping may not offer net gain for broader animal rights efforts challenging current legal status.  Instead, perhaps microchipping is most easily regarded as a stopgap measure, safeguarding animals who are lucky enough to have homes and care, and as generally promoting animal welfare.