The Dogs (Licensing and Identification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012

Explanatory Note

(This note is not part of the Regulations)

These Regulations revoke and remake the Dogs (Licensing and Identification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2011. They prescribe the various forms to be used in relation to licensing of dogs under the Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983.

The forms prescribed are—

(a)

application for a dog licence;

(b)

the dog licence;

(c)

application for a block licence;

(d)

the block licence;

(e)

the certificate transferring an existing licence in respect of a dog which has died to a new dog; and

(f)

application for a refund of a dog licence in certain circumstances.

The Regulations also provide—

(a)

that a dog licence or block licence shall remain in force for a period of one year (regulation 3);

(b)

for the wearing by dogs (other than dogs used by the police, prison service or the armed forces in a public order role and dogs kept by a licensed pet shop) of a collar with the name and address of the keeper of the dog inscribed on the collar or on a plate or badge attached to it (regulation 6);

(c)

for the wearing by dogs of a coloured licence tag attached to their collars (regulation 7).

The last two provisions do not apply in respect of a dog which is a member of a pack of hounds or while it is being judged at a competition, or while it is being used for sporting purposes, the capture or destruction of vermin or for the purposes of driving or tending sheep or cattle.

The Regulations prescribe the particulars to be contained on a register of licences kept by a district council (regulation 5).

The Regulations prescribe that subject to listed exceptions on application for a block licence all dogs on the premises shall be microchipped within 12 weeks from the date these Regulations come into operation until 31 December 2012 and from 1 January 2013 within 8 weeks. An exemption to microchipping of dogs kept under a block licence applies to greyhounds until 1 January 2013 and where a veterinary surgeon signs a certificate indicating implantation would have an adverse effect (regulation 8). Regulation 9 prescribes the technical specifications of the microchip. The powers of officers are prescribed on regulation 10 whilst the information and record keeping required and which must be recorded by the holder of a block licence are prescribed in regulation 11.

Contravention of the provisions under regulations 6, 7, 8 and 11 is an offence under Article 31(2) of the Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983 for which a penalty on summary conviction is a fine not exceeding level 3 on the standard scale.