Microchipping Dogs to Become Mandatory in England

Scanning for a microchip

As reported in The Telegraph, as of April 6^th this year microchipping dogs will be compulsory in England.

Failure to comply will result in fines of up to £500.

George Eustice, animal welfare minister, told The Telegraph, “Microchipping our dogs will not only reunite people with their lost or stolen pets, but also help to tackle the growing problem of strays roaming the streets and relieve the burden placed on animal charities and local authorities.”

The hope is that by returning dogs to their owners more quickly and efficiently, local authorities and charities will save millions in pet food, housing and re-homing costs.

It will also reduce the stress on the dog – less time wandering or in a shelter - and dog owner, who will have more confidence the dog will be identified and returned.

Associate Veterinary Clinics and PetLynx Corporation Collaborate to Enrich the Lives of People and Pets across Canada

PRESS RELEASE 

June 15, 2015

CALGARY, AB - Associate Veterinary Clinics (AVC) and PetLynx Corporation (PLC) are excited to announce a Canada-wide collaboration to improve the pet experience. AVC has responded to the “Moonshot Challenge” put forth at the 9th Annual Summit for Urban Animal Strategies to identify every pet in Canada. AVC is pleased to offer HomeSafe registrations to clients of their Canadian Hospitals over the next three years, adding an estimated 300,000 pets to the National Identification Initiative (NIDI), and strengthening the HomeSafe automated lost pet recovery network.

“I am excited to have Associate Veterinary Clinics involved with the HomeSafe program”, exclaimed Dr. Drew Van Niekerk, Director, PetLynx Corporation. “The Canadian family of hospitals already does so much for supporting shelters and recovering lost pets in cities across Canada, and this is another innovative boost to community wellness.”

PetLynx is dedicated to enriching the lives of people and pets, hosting the Urban Animal conference series for ten years.  Associate Veterinary Clinics has been an active supporter of the Alliance for Urban Animals from the start.  The hospital group has been serving pets and  communities since 1971, committing to high quality medicine and giving back to the animal industry in countless ways.

“This is an important initiative that we are very excited to join” said AVC Vice President of Strategic Initiatives Darren Johnson. “Our hospitals are committed to improving the pet experience in their local communities, and this is a powerful step forward to assuring the bond between the owner and pet remains intact”.  

Associate Veterinary Clinics has been nominated for an Innovation Showcase Award for their program “Paw it Forward”. This grass-roots campaign was designed to help families whose resources are limited, provide some of the basics for their pet.  “We are confident the net result of these programs is to strengthen the relationships between pets, families and communities” adds Johnson, “while reducing the numbers of homeless pets in shelters and neighborhoods across Canada”.

For more information please contact:

Associate Veterinary Clinics	PetLynx Corporation
Darren Johnson, VP, Strategic Partnerships	Shannon Woodward, Program Manager
403.541.0815	403.208.1972