Mid Suffolk District Council have the facilities to microchip your dog for permanent identification. If it was then picked up as a stray, ownership can easily established.

The microchip system is one supported by the RSPCA and the Kennel Club, and involves the painless insertion of a tiny microchip under the skin in between the shoulder blades of the dog. Once inserted, the microchip cannot be seen.

When a dog is micro-chipped, the owner's details are entered onto a National Computer Database, together with details of the dog. If the Council's Dog Warden later picks up the dog as a stray, the chip can be scanned, and the owners details established by contacting the database.

There is a charge for retrieval of stray dogs by the Dog Warden. However, as Mid Suffolk District Council supports reliable methods of identification, the fee is reduced if the dog is properly identified.

Mid Suffolk District Council have trained staff who can microchip your dog for a fee of £25, including the registration fee for the National Database.

It is not intended that this scheme should replace the collar and tag system, which is required by law. However, it is a permanent means of identification, which cannot be lost or removed as can a name tag.

Do not forget to change your personal details with the National Database should you move.

Customer Service Direct - Responsible dog ownership - using a microchip to identify a dog.  Here you can find out more about the benefits of microchipping.