Jean Urquhart MSP met up with the Kennel Club and the Microchipping Alliance on Thursday 7th June 2012 to promote the benefits of compulsory microchipping and the importance of keeping database details updated as part of National Microchipping Month 2012, which takes place throughout June.
National Microchipping Month aims to encourage responsible pet ownership through the promotion of microchipping as an inexpensive, safe and painless method of permanent pet identification. The event is run by Petlog, which is owned and managed by the Kennel Club, and has over 6.2 million pets registered, with 70,000 new pets added to the database each month.
Jean, who owns a border collie, commented: “With so many people exploring the rugged beauty of the Highlands every summer with their pets, it is sadly inevitable that some will go missing in our hills and woodland.
“A large part of being a responsible pet owner is to ensure that your pets are microchipped, registered to a database and that all details are up to date. As a nation of animal lovers, we all want a quick and successful reunification should our pets go missing, which fundamentally relies on these three components.
“Our counterparts in Northern Ireland have taken the first steps by introducing compulsory microchipping, which will significantly help reunite stray and stolen dogs with their owners whilst helping save local authorities tremendous financial resources. I therefore firmly support proposals for the implementation of compulsory microchipping in Scotland.”
Jean Urquhart 