ONE year on from the introduction of compulsory microchipping for dogs, 92 per cent of dogs in the North West are now fitted with a microchip, meaning they can be reunited with their families if they are lost or stolen.
However, owners the North West should microchip their dog if they haven't already and keep the details up-to-date to ensure they can be reunited should they become lost.
Dogs Trust statistics show that 4,808 strays were reunited with their owners in 2015-2016; some of these as a direct result of a microchip, proving just how important microchipping is in ensuring lost dogs are swiftly reunited with their owners.
However, owners who don't update their details risk the very real possibility of being permanently separated from their beloved family pet.
A total of seven per cent of the 5,446 stray and abandoned dogs that remained unclaimed in local authority kennels in the North West last year, couldn't be reunited with their owners simply because they didn’t have up-to-date microchip details.
Alex Jackson, Head of campaigns, Dogs Trust
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