The Microchipping of Cats and Dogs (England) Regulations 2023

Conditions to be met by a database operator

7.—(1) A database operator must—

(a) have sufficient database capacity to store electronically and retrieve all the details provided by keepers in accordance with regulation 3(4)(b);

(b) back up all this data at a secure, off-site facility every day;

(c) provide any information in regulation 6 requested by an authorised person;

(d) provide any information in regulation 6 requested by the keeper of a cat or a dog in relation to that cat or dog;

(e) have a system for identifying people authorised for the purposes of these Regulations when they make enquiries about cats or dogs whose details are recorded on their database;

(f) have a system for identifying keepers of cats or dogs when they make enquiries about cats or dogs whose details are recorded on their database;

(g) maintain records to demonstrate that the database operator is complying with the requirements of this regulation;

(h) have a system which is available at all times for answering telephone and on-line requests for details stored on their database;

(i) have a system for redirecting telephone queries relating to cats or dogs whose details are recorded on other databases which comply with paragraph (2)(a) to the operators of those databases; and

(j) be able to automatically redirect on-line requests relating to cats or dogs whose details are recorded on other databases which comply with paragraph (2)(a) to operators of those databases.

(2) A database operator must—

(a) make available to other relevant database operators operating in accordance with this regulation the information necessary to allow those other database operators to determine which microchip numbers relate to cats or dogs whose details are recorded on the database that it operates; and

(b) have a system for responding directly to the enquirer to any query received in accordance with paragraph (1)(i) or (1)(j).

(3) In this regulation, “relevant database operator” means a database operator—

(a) which holds itself out as complying with this regulation; and

(b) on which the Secretary of State has not served a notice under regulation 8(2)(a).

(4) In this regulation “on-line request” means a request submitted to a database operator in the manner provided for by the database operator’s website.