Dog owners across the UK have been warned they could face fines of up to £2,000 when walking their pets.
The warning relates to dog owners not having all of the correct information on their four-legged friend’s collar.
All dogs must wear a collar displaying their owners name and address when out and about in a public place, while adding a phone number is optional.
Pet owners who walk their dogs in a public place without the correct information on their collar risk being slapped with a £2,000 fine.
Blue Cross issue warning to UK dog owners
Animal charity Blue Cross has warned owners of the law. A spokesman for the charity said: "Even if your dog is microchipped, they still need to wear a collar or tag. Exemptions apply for some working dogs. We recommend you add your mobile number so you can be contacted at any time in case your dog goes missing.
"Puppies must be microchipped before they go to their new homes, with the breeder being the first registered keeper. They are breaking the law if they do not register the puppy by the time they are eight-weeks-old.
"Breeders should also pass on correct microchip paperwork to the new owner when the puppy goes home. The law applies to dogs and puppies over the age of eight weeks. Exemptions are available if a vet believes there is a valid health reason not to microchip a dog.”
He added: "The vet must issue the owner with a certificate of exemption in this instance. Owners are required to keep their pets’ details up to date, for example if they move house. If you rehome your dog to someone else, you must give the new owner the correct microchip registration paperwork so that they can contact the database and register as the dog’s new owner."
Comments: Our rules
We want our comments to be a lively and valuable part of our community - a place where readers can debate and engage with the most important local issues. The ability to comment on our stories is a privilege, not a right, however, and that privilege may be withdrawn if it is abused or misused.
Please report any comments that break our rules.
Read the rules hereLast Updated:
Report this comment Cancel
You must verify your phone number before you can comment.
Please enter your phone number below, and a verification code will be sent to you by text message.
Please enter the six-digit verification code sent to you by SMS.
Your verification code has been sent a second time to the mobile phone number you provided.
Your verification code has been sent a third time to the mobile phone number you provided.
You have requested your verification code too many times. Please try again later.
Didn’t receive a code? Send it againThe code you entered has not been recognised.
Please try again
You have failed to enter a correct code after three attempts.
Please try again later.
Your phone number has been verified.
Your phone number has been stored with your account details. We will never use it for anything other than verifying that you are the legitimate owner of this account.