A SPORTING ESTATE was overrun by four-legged friends from Grampian and beyond at the weekend as over 200 dogs of all varieties were micro-chipped ahead of the Scottish Government deadline.
By April 6 all dog owners in Scotland will have to have their pooches chipped and details entered into an approved database – or risk a fine of £500.
The legislation has been brought in to cut down on lost or stray dogs and to make owners responsible for their dog’s welfare and behaviour. Now thanks to work by local estates and gamekeepers plus the UK’s largest dog welfare charity, Dogs Trust, animals from the Grampian region and the Angus Glens were chipped at the weekend.
The event, which saw breeds from working Spaniels to pet pugs and Lhasa Apsos mingling together, was jointly hosted by Grampian Moorland Group and Angus Glens Moorland Group.
As well as making dogs compliant with the legislation, a raffle containing doggy treats, hosted by the two groups, raised £1221.93 for Dogs Trust.
With only around 100 dogs being the norm at Dogs Trust free microchipping events, veterinary nurses from the charity had their work cut out to chip all 217 dogs presented by local owners.
Despite the inevitable playfulness from the canine kind, the event at Gannochy in Angus was a major success and presented the local communities with a chance to move in step with the change.
Lianne MacLennan, Co-Ordinator of the Grampian Moorland Group- which showcases work and community life in the area, said: “We contacted Dogs Trust because we felt it was good for communities, across the Grampian and Angus regions, to be able to come to one place and for a large number of dogs to be chipped at the same time.
“We know ourselves, from local gamekeepers helping to return lost dogs to their owners, that micro-chipping will be very useful, if something untoward happens.”
Lisa Scott, Veterinary Nurse from Dogs Trust added: “Microchipping is the most effective permanent way to assist in a lost dog being returned to their owner which in turn reduces the number of healthy dogs unnecessarily put to sleep.”
The charity has been holding free chipping drop-in events across the country and at their rehoming centres, ahead of the new law coming into force.