Dog owners in Stone can get their pets micro-chipped for free in a new initiative to help reunite stray animals with their owners.
Stafford Borough Council is offering special vouchers which will enable the first 200 people to claim one the opportunity to have their dogs chipped completely free of charge.
By April 2016, all dogs must be micro-chipped by law, and the council is hoping to encourage local people to be quick off the mark. Owners can obtain a voucher, to be used at The Island veterinary practices in Abbey Street, Stone, or Stafford, between 18th May and 31st July.
Reuniting stray dogs with their owners more quickly could save the council a chunk of the annual £15,000 kennel cost bill.
An existing law requires all dogs to have a collar and tag identifying their owner in case they become a stray. However, last year saw over 280 strays reported in the borough and only a quarter of these were suitably equipped.
Once the law comes into effect next April, owners who have failed to have their dogs micro-chipped will be served a notice by the council, urging them to get the procedure carried out, and they could face a hefty £500 court fine for not doing so.
The vouchers are redeemable at The Island Veterinary Associates, at both their Stone and Stafford clinics. All that’s required is for dog owners to simply complete the details on the reverse of the voucher and take along some form of ID to prove they live in Stafford Borough.
Figures from The Dog Trust charity show that of over 100,000 strays reported nationally each year, only 6% of those returned to their owners were micro-chipped.
Cabinet Member for Environment and Health, Councillor Frank Finlay, said: “We want to encourage dog owners throughout the borough to take advantage of this initiative by micro-chipping and ensuring all dogs wear a collar and tag, making the reuniting process much easier and less stressful for both owners and their animals.”
To receive a voucher, call 01785 619000 or email dogs@staffordbc.gov.uk
