STIFF fines or even a jail sentence awaits Limerick dog owners who fail to have their pets microchipped from this Friday, April 1.
Failure to microchip and register dogs on an authorised database will carry the threat of prosecution that can lead to a fine of up to €5,000 and/or imprisonment.
New laws were enacted last June requiring that all puppies must be microchipped by the age of three months. Since September 2015, puppies that were put up for sale had to be chipped accordingly.
As the legislation was enacted in a phase roll-out, the next stage comes this Friday with mandatory microchipping coming in to force.
Acting Agriculture Minister Simon Coveney said that the new microchipping laws brought with it many benefits including “the protection and welfare of dogs”.
“It will act as a deterrent for those who abandon dogs and assist in identifying marauding dogs and those that pose a threat to livestock or people.”
See anpost.ie for more details on dog licensing and microchipping.
