Under the Control of Dogs Order 1992, every dog must wear a collar with the name and address or phone number of the owner on it. Dogs not wearing collars in public places can be seized and the owner prosecuted and fined up to £5,000. Your dog must also be microchipped and this information is entered on national registers and databases.
A tag for your dog's collar can be picked up at any pet shop and can cost anything between £1-£10 depending on the type of tag and the amount of engraving required.
Microchipping costs vary depending on where you go, but many charity organisations will simply recover the cost of the microchip (£10-£15). The microchip is about the size of a grain of rice and is inserted under the dogs skin, between the shoulder blades. The microchip contains a unique 16 digit number that is picked up by a scanning device. This number is then given to the database operators, who can give the registered owner's name, address and telephone number to authorised people only.
You must keep all your address details and contact numbers up to date, on the database, otherwise the chip is useless. It is an offence not to keep the microchip information up to date.
All these methods help members of the public or the dog warden to return your dog to you quickly and safely. To prevent losing your dog, make sure your property is secure so that your dog cannot escape and keep your dog on a lead when out walking in public places.
The Green Dog Club
Have you joined the Green Dog Club yet? It is a small way to help in the campaign against dog fouling and have your dog returned to you quickly if it gets lost.
We appreciate that the majority of dog owners take responsibility for their pets and clean up after them. The Green Dog Club is our way of thanking you, and a friendly way to change attitudes in East Northamptonshire. It will help us to reunite you with your dog more easily, should you lose it.
Best of all, the Green Dog Club is free to join and is open to all dog owners in East Northamptonshire.
What do I have to do?
Just take a pledge to:
- always clean up after your dog
- carry extra dog bags
- gladly offer a bag to someone who needs it
That's all! It's definitely not about snooping on people, telling them off or reporting them. It's not about cleaning up the mess from other people's dogs. It's about doing what you already do - cleaning up after your dog.
What you'll get
You'll receive:
- a numbered dog tag and registration on the East Northants Dog Database which helps reunite stray dogs with their owners more quickly
- a roll of dog bags and extras (subject to availability)
- the chance to help with future campaigns to eliminate dog fouling.
To join please use the online Green Dog Club form.