MICROCHIPPING

Yes, in the State of Victoria. Section 10C of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 requires cats and dogs to be microchipped as a condition of their registration. Registration of your new dog or cat with your local council is compulsory once your dog or cat is 3 months of age.

Section 10C of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 requires all cats and dogs to be microchipped as a condition of their compulsory registration,which must ocur before the dog or cat reaches 3 months of age.

If you’ve received a new kitten or puppy under 3 months into your care, and they are not yet microchipped, it is your responsibility to ensure your kitten or puppy is microchipped and registered with your local council before reaching that age.

Section 12A of the Domestic Animals Act 1994 requires domestic animal businesses to microchip dogs and cats prior to any sale/transfer of ownership. But it’s important to note this is ONLY a requirement of corporate entities, not private individuals.

However, the Act also requires all cat or dog owners to have their pets microchipped and registered with their local Council by 3 months of age, so all transfers of ownership of all but the youngest animals should involve a transfer of microchip number, otherwise the transferring owner is already in violation of the Act.

The Act also requires an animal’s microchip number to be displayed in any advertisement for the dog or cat, but not at the point of sale. If the seller is a ‘domestic animal business’ the breeder must display the microchip number or the breeder registration number, and the name of the issuing Council.

The most obvious benefit of microchipping your dog or cat is that in the event of an emergency where your pet strays from your home, or your cat possibly becomes injured or stuck during their regular neighbourhood wanderings, you can quickly and easily be reunited with them.

Microchipping can also benefit to your dog or cats health, in that being isolated in a strange environment at a shelter or pound can be an incredibly stressful event for them which can leave lasting psychological scars. Not to mention animal rescue organisations are routinely overwelmed by the demand for their service, especially in the event of natural disaster such as a bushfire.

When a series of deadly tornados tore across the US state of Oklahoma in 2013, microchips were critical in reuniting owners with their pets. Animals in temporary shelters were immediately scanned for microchips, and thanks to microchips an astonishing number of pets were reunited safely with their owners, and the strain on animal rescue organisations was nowhere near as long lasting as would ave been the case a decade or so earlier.

Not at all. Microchipping is only legally required for dogs and cats in the state of Victoria, but it can be performed on lots of different animals, including dogs, cats, ferrets, birds or even horses.

However, while we cater to most animals’ needs at Clyde Vet, please see a specialist equine veterinarian if you require your horse to be microchipped.

The microchipping process can be performed in literally seconds – as long as it takes to give your pet a single injection. In most cases, filling out the associated paperwork takes longer than the actual procedure.