PART 4MICROCHIPPING
Microchipping of dogs kept under a block licence8
1
Subject to paragraphs (4) and (5) the holder of a block licence shall ensure that all dogs kept under the licence shall be microchipped before they attain the appropriate age.
2
For the purposes of paragraph (1), in the case of such dogs the appropriate age is—
a
from the date these Regulations come into operation, 12 weeks;
b
from 1 January 2013, 8 weeks.
3
Where a dog that has attained the appropriate age arrives on any premises for which a block licence is in force and has not already been microchipped, the holder of the licence shall microchip the dog within 7 days from the date the dog arrived on the premises.
4
Paragraph (1) does not apply to—
a
a dog kept under a block licence if the holder of the licence produces to the district council a certificate signed by a veterinary surgeon to the effect that implantation (or continued implantation) of a microchip in that dog would have an adverse effect on the health of the dog;
b
greyhounds kept under a block licence until 1 January 2013.
5
Paragraph (1) does not apply to the holder of a block licence issued before the coming into operation of these Regulations.
Conditions for valid microchipping9
1
For the purposes of Article 6(8) of the Order and regulation 8(1) a dog is microchipped if (and only if) it is implanted with a microchip which—
a
generates a unique number when read by a scanning device;
b
is implanted by a competent person;
c
complies with either ISO standard 11784:1996 or Annex A to ISO standard 11785:1996 of the International Standards Organisation’s standards for microchips3;
d
is registered on a database which holds the information set out in paragraph (2); and
e
that database is accessible to officers.
2
A database referred to in paragraph (1) shall record the following information—
a
the unique number generated by the microchip;
b
in respect of the keeper of the dog implanted with the microchip—
i
the keepers name and address; and
ii
at least one contact telephone number; and
c
in respect of the dog implanted with the microchip—
i
its breed;
ii
its sex;
iii
colour and distinguishing marks; and
iv
date of birth or estimated year of birth.
3
A database shall be made available to an officer at all times.
4
For the purposes of regulation 8(1), a dog is microchipped where a microchip has been implanted in the dog before the coming into operation of section 2(1) of the Dogs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011.
5
A competent person who carries out the microchipping must make arrangements to notify the database operator of the microchip details within 7 days of carrying out the microchipping so that the database may be updated.
6
For the purpose of this regulation a competent person means a veterinary surgeon or person who has been received instruction on how to implant a microchip.
Powers of officers10
1
An officer may require the scanning of a microchip implanted in a dog for the purposes set out in these Regulations.
2
For the purposes of regulation 9(1) an officer may compare any information made available by a database operator with information held in any register kept in accordance with Article 15(1) of the Order or records kept under regulation 11.
Record keeping11
1
A holder of a block licence shall keep a record of the microchip numbers of all dogs held under a block licence, which may be kept in written or electronic form, containing the following information—
a
microchip details of each of the dogs of the appropriate age kept at the premises where a block licence is in force;
b
date of sale, transfer or death of any dog;
c
the name and address of the person to whom any dog is sold or transferred; and
d
the new keeper’s dog licence or block licence number.
2
Information about the sale, transfer or death of any dog shall be recorded within 7 days of its sale, transfer or death.
3
Records kept under this regulation shall be retained for a minimum of 3 years from the date of the last entry.
4
The holder of a block licence shall, if required to do so by an officer, produce for inspection at all reasonable times the record kept under this regulation.
5
Where the record is kept in written form, the holder of a block licence shall permit copies to be taken by an officer.
6
Where the record is kept in electronic form, the holder of a block licence shall produce the record in a form which may be taken away by an officer.
Revocation12
The Dogs (Licensing and Identification) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 20114 are revoked.