Regulations in force since March 2016 require all dogs over 12 weeks to be microchipped and registered on an approved database. The Minister for Agriculture Michael Creed has urged anyone thinking of giving a puppy or a dog as a Christmas present to buy or adopt from a reputable source. He added that they should be fully aware of the financial commitment that becoming a pet owner represents.

“I understand this is a significant change in the way people are accustomed to buying and dealing in animals,” Creed said on the obligations on both buyers and sellers with the new microchipping rules. “However, these rules are vital to enable early reunification of lost dogs with owners, protecting the welfare of dogs and to protect animals against sheep worrying.”

There are currently four authorised databases for owners to register their dog’s microchip on: Animark, Fido, The Irish Coursing Club and The Irish Kennel Club. An authorised database must provide a certificate which indicates the owner and provides a form for changes of ownership to be registered. Buyers and sellers are also required to indicate that they have verified the identity of the person they are dealing with.

“If details are not correctly kept up to date, you will remain legally responsible for a dog you may have sold,” Creed said. “A reputable dog breeder will have ensured that pups they sell are correctly microchipped and vaccinated and have the right paperwork. These procedures provide reassurance that the dog has probably been raised in proper conditions. There is no such reassurance where dogs are bought illegally and of unknown provenance.”

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