Implanting of microchips
10.—(1) No person may implant a microchip in a cat or a dog unless one of the following paragraphs applies—
(a)they are a veterinary surgeon or a veterinary nurse acting under the direction of a veterinary surgeon;
(b)they are acting under the direction of a veterinary surgeon and are a student of veterinary surgery or a student veterinary nurse;
(c)in the case of a dog, they have—
(i)been satisfactorily assessed on a training course approved by the Secretary of State on or after 24th February 2015 for the purpose of implanting a microchip in a dog; or
(ii)received training in implantation which included practical experience of implanting a microchip in a dog before 24th February 2015; or
(d)in the case of a cat, they have—
(i)been satisfactorily assessed on a training course approved by the Secretary of State on or after the commencement date for the purpose of implanting a microchip in a cat; or
(ii)received training in implantation which included practical experience of implanting a microchip in a cat before the commencement date.
(2) Where it appears to the Secretary of State, on the basis of information provided pursuant to regulation 11 and of any other information, that a person to whom paragraph (1)(c) or (1)(d) applies is unable to implant microchips to a satisfactory standard, the Secretary of State may serve a notice on that person—
(a)prohibiting them from implanting microchips in cats or dogs, or
(b)prohibiting them from implanting microchips in cats or dogs, until they have received further training on a course approved by the Secretary of State.
(3) In this regulation—
“commencement date” means the date on which this regulation comes into force;
“student veterinary nurse” and “veterinary nurse” have the meanings given by Schedule 3 to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966(1) (“the 1966 Act”);
“student of veterinary surgery” has the meaning given by regulation 3 of the Schedule to the Veterinary Surgeons (Practice by Students) Regulations Order of Council 1981(2);
“veterinary surgeon” means a person registered in the register of veterinary surgeons kept under section 2 of the 1966 Act, or the supplementary veterinary register kept under section 8 of that Act(3).
1966 c. 36. Schedule 3 to the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 was substituted by S.I. 1988/526. Paragraph 6 of that Schedule was inserted by S.I. 1991/1412 and substituted by S.I. 2002/1479. Paragraph 7 of that Schedule was inserted by S.I. 2002/1479 and amended by S.I. 2008/1824. There are other amendments to Schedule 3 which are not relevant to these Regulations.
S.I. 1982/988.The Regulations were made by the Council of the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons and have effect as contained in the Schedule to this Order of the Privy Council. Regulation 3 was substituted by S.I. 1995/2357.
Section 2 of the Veterinary Surgeons Act 1966 was amended by S.I. 2003/2919, S. I. 2008/1824, S.I. 2019/454 and S.I. 2020/1038.