Are your dog’s microchip details up-to-date?

Dog owners are being reminded of the importance of making sure the information on their pet’s microchip is kept up-to-date.

Daventry District Council’s Dog Warden service is issuing the advice after coming across a number of cases recently in which a lost dog’s chip contained information for their owner’s old address – making it difficult to reunite them.

A microchip is a small electronic chip, around the size of a grain of rice, which is painlessly implanted under the dog’s skin and contains a unique number that can be read by a scanner.

The dog owner’s contact details are logged on a central database, so should the dog be found after going missing or being stolen it can be scanned and quickly returned to its owner.

Since April 2016 dog owners have been required by law to make sure their dog is microchipped, with those who fail to do so facing fines of up to £500.

As well as helping reunite owners with lost or stolen pets, microchipping also has a number of other welfare benefits, including:

  • Helping to prevent the theft of dogs
  • Allowing for easier identification of owners who are guilty of animal cruelty
  • Enabling vets and the Council to contact dog owners directly if a stray is found
  • Tackling the issue of stray dogs by promoting responsible dog ownership.

Councillor Richard Auger, Environmental Health and Housing Portfolio Holder on Daventry District Council, said: “Microchipping is the most effective tool for our officers to reunite dog owners with their lost pets. However, it’s only useful if the information on the chip is kept up-to-date, and it is the owner’s responsibility to ensure this is done. If you move house you must contact the database company that your dog is registered with and update your details.”

People are also being urged to ensure they properly report any stray dogs they find so they can be reunited with their owners.

If you have lost or found a dog, please contact Daventry District Council on 01327 871100. If you find a dog outside of normal office hours, or on a Saturday or Sunday, please contact Dunsmore Kennels on 024 7654 2566 or visit www.dunsmorekennels.com

Anyone who finds a dog during the evening or when the kennels are otherwise closed is advised to keep the dog overnight if they can, before contacting the kennels or the Council. Please ensure you do not put yourself at risk of being bitten or attacked by the dog if you are prepared to secure a dog overnight.

Please find out more at www.daventrydc.gov.uk/dogs

-Ends-

Press release number: 2589

For further information please contact:

Ian O’Pray, Media Officer at Daventry District Council, on 01327 302310 or email iopray@daventrydc.gov.uk

Sheep Butchering – Meeting

Following a number of sheep being illegally slaughtered and a recent theft of a large number of sheep, we believe those that are committing the crimes may be putting markers on the perimeter fences and gates of sites that they plan to target.

Could all farmers and landowners of livestock check their entry points to their fields regularly.  If you identify any type of marker please report this to the police as soon as possible.

If you have any information about any suspicious activity please call Northamptonshire Police on 101, quoting Operation Stock.  In an emergency, always call 999.

Northamptonshire Police

You may have seen in the media, the latest incidents regarding the illegal sheep butchery that has taken place across the county. Please a report outlining the issues using the link:.

https://www.northants.police.uk/…/police-appeal-for-inform…/

Can I ask that any suspicious activity is reported immediately. We believe that the offences are taking place during the hours of darkness but persons will be out during the daily light hours scouting the area.

Any suspicious incidents, vehicles or behaviour, report immediately. Where at all possible, conduct checks at all times of the day on livestock during this period of concern.

If any persons are seen to be committing offence’s, please consider your own safety first, rather than go and put yourselves in danger. Gather as much information as possible and call 999 stating OP STOCK – Northamptonshire. We have putting response plans in place to support any calls we receive.

The NFU and myself are looking to get a meeting together next week, possibly on Wednesday or Thursday to get sheep farmers together to go over the current crimes and look at a join approach to policing this crime. As soon as there are any updates, we will let you know. Please follow our appeals on the force website, force facebook and twitter sites and my twitter @hutch472

As always, keep em peeled.
Regards
Hutch.
PC 472 HUTCHINGS
Neighbourhood Rural Policing & Wildlife Crime Officer
Daventry and South Northants

Northamptonshire Police

Shop Closure

We will be discussing the shop closure at our meeting on Monday 8th July at 7.30 in the Reading Room.  What may be done to retain a shop and Post Office in the village. Please do come along if you wish to discuss possibilities.