The Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2014

Conditions to be met by a database operator

6.—(1) From 1 March 2015 a database operator must—

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

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

(c) provide any information in regulation 5 requested by an authorised person;

(d) provide any information in regulation 5 requested by a keeper of a dog in relation to that dog;

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

(f) have a system for identifying keepers of dogs when they make inquiries about 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 for answering telephone and on-line requests for details stored on their database at all times;

(i) have a system for redirecting telephone queries relating to 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 dogs whose details are recorded on other databases which comply with paragraph (2)(a) to 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 dogs whose details are recorded on that database; and

(b) have a system for responding directly to the inquirer 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 7(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.