Don’t get your small dogs microchipped – the procedure can be deadly, warn vets who urge owners to flout new law.
New law requires all dogs in UK that are eight weeks or older to be chipped.
Procedure involves inserting sterile chip between a dog’s shoulder blades.
But senior vet warned animal could suffer ‘adverse reaction’ to procedure.
Encouraged those with puppies to ignore law and ‘sit tight and do nothing.’
Those who flout law face £500 fine as Government continues crackdown.
Dog owners should ignore new microchipping laws as the procedure can cause serious health problems for puppies and small dogs, even leading to death, a leading vet has warned.
Senior vet Richard Allport believes puppies are ‘far too young’ to be chipped at eight weeks, and says they could have ‘serious adverse reactions’ when having the sterile chip inserted between the shoulder blades.
New laws, which come into force on April 6, require all dogs in the UK aged eight weeks and over to be microchipped. Dogs must already wear a collar and tag with the owner’s details when in public.
But, Mr Allport, who is also owns the Natural Medicine Centre, Hertfordshire, has urged dog owners to avoid having their pets chipped so young, instead encouraging them to ‘sit tight and do nothing’.
Senior vet Richard Allport, from Hertfordshire, believes puppies are ‘far too young’ to be chipped at eight weeks, and says they could have ‘serious adverse reactions’ when having the sterile chip inserted
Senior vet Richard Allport, from Hertfordshire, believes puppies are ‘far too young’ to be chipped at eight weeks, and says they could have ‘serious adverse reactions’ when having the sterile chip inserted (file photo)
Those who follow his advice risk facing fines of £500 from Wednesday, as the Government continues to crack down on the country’s 8.5million dogs which are still not registered.
Outlining how he believes the government’s law is putting pets at risk, Mr Allport told specialist magazine Dogs Today: ‘I think the age by which puppies must be microchipped – eight weeks – is far too young.
‘Most of the serious adverse reactions (including death) have been in puppies and small breeds.
‘My advice to people who don’t want their dog’s microchipped is to sit tight and do nothing.’
The microchipping procedure involves a sterile chip, the size of a grain of rice, being injected between the shoulder blades. The chips have a unique 15-digit code that can be read by a scanner.
It is a more permanent way of recording the animal’s ownership – as collars and tags can be removed or fall off.
While 83 per cent of dog owners have so far complied, around one in five – 1.45million – have not done so, according to the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs.
Pete Wedderburn, a veterinary surgeon, said the benefits of reducing the numbers of stray dogs and illegal puppy farms ‘massively outweigh the risks’ of animals going through the microchip procedure.
He said: ‘It’s a big needle and big injection so naturally there’s going to be a reaction.
‘But what you have to bear in mind is that this is looking at just one side – this is going to help with stray dogs and lives will be saved.’
New laws, which come into force on April 6, require all dogs in the UK aged eight weeks and over to be microchipped. Dogs must already wear a collar and tag with the owner’s details when in public.
There have been a number of cases where animals have died after being microchipped.
In 2009, a Yorkshire terrier named Scotty developed epitheliotropic lymphoma at the site of his microchip implant, and died at just six years old.
In the same year, a Chihuahua named Charlie Brown died within hours of being chipped. Charlie died from ‘an extreme amount of bleeding’ from the ‘little hole in the skin where the (microchip implant) needle went in,’ according to D. Reid Loken, the vet who performed the procedure.
Lori Ginsberg, Charlie’s owner, said at the time: ‘I wasn’t in favour of getting Charlie chipped, but it was the law. This technology is supposedly so great until it’s your animal that dies.’
My advice to people who don’t want their dog’s microchipped is to sit tight and do nothing
Senior vet Richard Allport.
And in October 2010, a lawsuit was filed in the U.S. by Andrea Rutherford against Merck Sharp & Dohme and Digital Angel Inc. because her cat, Bulkin, developed cancer at the site of his microchip.
There are currently more than 102,000 stray or stolen dogs found in Britain every year. The law will help local authorities and charities that look after lost dogs, whose care currently costs £33m a year.
Owners whose dogs have been found by police or local authorities, if they are identified, will be given a short time to comply with the law. If they do not, they could be fined up to £500 on conviction.
Paula Boyden, veterinary director of the Dogs Trust, said: ‘Losing a dog is an extremely upsetting time for both dog and dog owner and microchipping increases the likelihood that a dog will be reunited with its owner… making it an essential part of animal welfare law in England.
‘It is vital that the microchip details are kept up to date. Last year 47,596 unclaimed and unwanted dogs were left in council kennels across the UK as these dogs could not be reunited with their owners.’
The dog welfare charity is currently looking after 1,546 stray, unwanted and abandoned dogs who need a home.
Microchipping a dog costs between £10 and £30, but many charities and animal shelters offer the service for free.
Dr Huw Stacey, director of clinical services at Vets4Pets, said: ‘Pet owners shouldn’t worry. It is a simple procedure. A microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is injected under the skin at the scruff of a dog’s neck.’
He added: ‘By adding a traceable element to all dogs it will help lost or stolen pets be reunited with their owner.
‘It is also vital that all owners keep their contact details up to date on a microchip database.’
Owners may have to pay a fee to update their details with organisations offering the microchip service.
The move to introduce compulsory microchipping fills the gap left after dog licences were abolished in the United Kingdom in 1988.
It was mandatory to have one as a dog owner up until this time and cost only 37.5p. But they were phased out because they were widely ignored and regarded as ineffective.
If your Dog has been hit by a vehicle …
Even if the dog appears unharmed, it must be checked out by a Vet.
It could have internal injuries.
Knoll Beach, Studland Bay. Cadbury Easter Egg Hunt
Category: Activities, Nature
Start Date: 25/03/2016 10:00
End Date: 10/04/2016 15:00
Location: Studland Knoll Beach
Booking Essential: No
Description: Join us this Easter at Studland with our Easter Egg Hunt to help Bunny find his hidden eggs. Our hunt will take you along the beach and through the nature reserve and if you find Bunny’s eggs you can collect a chocolate prize at the end. £2.50 per trail, subject to egg availability.
Certain events attract an entrance charge and may need to be pre-booked. We strongly recommend that you confirm the details with the organiser, venue or Tourist Information Centre before you make your plans.
Whilst every effort is made to ensure the accuracy of the details within this guide, dates, times and venues may change or events be cancelled altogether. The publisher cannot accept any responsibility for any such changes or for any errors or omissions which may have occurred.
We welcome dogs all year round, but to make sure everyone enjoys themselves, please keep your dog on a lead of less than 2m anywhere on the beach between 1 May and 30 September.
From 1 October to 30 April dogs can be walked on the beach off the lead but please respect others – see doggie do’s, below.
Knoll Beach Café
Well behaved dogs are welcome in the outside seating area at the café where there are shelters, water bowls, dog ties and shade. Please make sure your dog does not disturb other customers.
Doggie do’s
Do keep to the paths: heathland is home to ticks and adders and your dog will be safer on the path. If your dog is bitten by an adder, visit the vet immediately or call the beach rangers on 07970 595963.
Do respect other visitors and keep your dog in sight: not everyone loves dogs, so before letting your best friend approach other people, please check with them first.
Do bag it and bin it: there are dog bins with free bags on the beach and surrounding area. Please use them.
Do protect nesting birds on heathland: rare birds nest on or near the ground so please keep your dog on a short lead when on the heath between March and July.
Do keep your dog on a lead near cliffs: every year dogs fall from the cliffs and some are fatally injured. Please don’t let your dog become a casualty.
Do keep your dog safe in hot weather: never leave your dog in the car when temperatures rise. There are water bowls available at Knoll Beach, Middle Beach and South Beach.
National Trust.
We welcome dogs all year round, but to make sure everyone enjoys themselves, please keep your dog on a lead of less than 2m anywhere on the beach between 1 May and 30 September.
From 1 October to 30 April dogs can be walked on the beach off the lead but please respect others – see doggie do’s, below.
Knoll Beach Café
Well behaved dogs are welcome in the outside seating area at the café where there are shelters, water bowls, dog ties and shade. Please make sure your dog does not disturb other customers.
Doggie do’s
Do keep to the paths: heathland is home to ticks and adders and your dog will be safer on the path. If your dog is bitten by an adder, visit the vet immediately or call the beach rangers on 07970 595963.
Do respect other visitors and keep your dog in sight: not everyone loves dogs, so before letting your best friend approach other people, please check with them first.
Do bag it and bin it: there are dog bins with free bags on the beach and surrounding area. Please use them.
Do protect nesting birds on heathland: rare birds nest on or near the ground so please keep your dog on a short lead when on the heath between March and July.
Do keep your dog on a lead near cliffs: every year dogs fall from the cliffs and some are fatally injured. Please don’t let your dog become a casualty.
Do keep your dog safe in hot weather: never leave your dog in the car when temperatures rise. There are water bowls available at Knoll Beach, Middle Beach and South Beach.
PUPPY PARENTS WANTED!
Woofability Assistance Dogs. Non-profit Organisation.
Training Assistance Dogs is incredibly rewarding to be involved in.
Here at Woofability we’re looking for enthusiastic and caring families or individuals in Dorset and Hampshire to help raise our puppies for a year – from 8 weeks to 14 months.
With your help, we can continue to transform more people’s lives.
Please contact us for further information.
Email: enquiries@woofability.org
Tel: 01202 814643 or 07790341721.
The companionship of “man’s best friend” becomes even more welcome as people transition into their golden years. Beyond companionship, research has found that dogs can reduce feelings of loneliness, as well as be trained as assistance dogs for diseases specific to the elderly population, such as Alzheimer’s and dementia.
However, the responsibilities of dog ownership can overwhelm the elderly. A high-energy dog that would be perfect for someone with an active lifestyle might be too much for the less able-bodied. In order to find the ideal pooch, a unique set of criteria is used to reflect the different needs of the older generations.
To determine which breeds are the best fit for senior owners, the data scientists at PetBreeds ranked dog breeds based on the following factors:
size (smaller dogs are easier to manage)
energy level (low energy levels require less activity)
health (dogs with fewer health problems are easier to maintain)
As a result of these criteria, dog breeds ranked higher tend to be generally healthy, calm and on the smaller side.
Discover the 25 Best Dog Breeds for Seniors. http://dogs.petbreeds.com/stories/11105/25-best-dog-breeds-for-seniors.
Visit the Website via the Links page.
Welcome to Training Lines, the one-stop shop for those difficult to find dog training accessories. If you can’t find what you’re looking for at the pet shop, or want to try something new in your dog training, you’ve come to the right place!
At Training Lines, our aim is to provide dog owners and trainers in the UK with a selection of difficult to find, unique, or quite simply, affordable training accessories and tools – the kinds of things you won’t find in the high street at a price that suits every dog owner.
You can order online through PayPal or with your credit or debit card, or alternatively we can take credit card orders by phone or you can send a cheque. Whatever suits you best.
Telephone 0845 644 2397 or 01771 637179. http://www.traininglines.co.uk/.
Go to links to visit this Website.
Four Paws Dog Archie with one of his Activity dog toys!
Activity toys are a must especially for working breeds as it offers mental stimulation.
With this one you hide a treat of your choosing under one of the pillars and Archie has to either lift or knock them off to find the treat. On this occasion Archie found it 3rd time.
Well done Archie!
One chilled Four Paws Dog Archie after his dog walk today at Longham, nr Wimborne!
Great walk in the Sunshine!
Dog pic to make you Smile.
Rolling, rolling, rolling. Lets get this Monday rolling!
