From 6th April 2016 dog owners/breeders will need to have their dogs microchipped and registered on one of the authorised commercial databases available, such as Petlog, and subsequent keepers of the dog will have to register their details and keep them updated. Failure to comply could result in dog owners being fined up to £500.

Anyone planning a litter from this date will need to ensure puppies are vaccinated ideally between 6 and 8 weeks of age, the breeder will be considered the first keeper of their litter of puppies and it will be their legal responsibility to get their puppies’ microchipped and recorded on a database compliant with the new regulations.

The KC have issued a fact sheet explaining the new requirements.