18-10-2016, 11:34 PM
1
Microchips - again
I have just read a dreadful article about a woman who had her little Pomeranian stolen from her home in Luton, Beds, 6 years ago. He was microchipped so she never gave up hope of finding him again.All these 6 years later, she received a phone call from her chip registration company, PetLog, saying someone in Manchester had just tried to re-register her dog into their own name.
Now here's the start of her problems.
PetLog informed the new 'owner' that the dog was recorded as stolen.
They then contacted the original owner, Sharon, and asked if they could give the man her phone number.
The lady was unwilling to give her number to a completely strange man who had her dog, and asked if she could have the man's number instead. He refused to give it.
The police became involved (eventually), because the real owner was alarmed that nothing more seemed to be happening for hours and hours, and being as the man with her dog was now aware it was stolen property, she was really frightened it was giving him ample time to 'dispose' of it, and she would never know where he was again.
The police were unable to seize her dog from the Manchester property because microchips are not automatic proof of ownership!!
Had the man refused to hand over the dog, the real owner would have to go to a civil court to stand any chance of getting her dog back.
The real owner, Sharon, says (and quite rightly in my opinion) - "It was my stolen dog and the microchip proved it. Had it been stolen jewellery, it would have been seized straightaway, and the new 'owners' wouldn't have got to decide whether or not to return it."
I totally agree with her.
To cut a very long story short, Sharon got her dog back eventually, after having to PAY the new 'owner' £55 for the dogs vaccination!
Sharon says:
"The first one to fail us was the vet they took my dog to, who scanned him for a chip but didn't check the details.
Had the vets taken a proper look, they would have seen straightaway the dog was flagged as stolen.
If we can get fined for not chipping our pets, then they should be fined for not checking new patients details."
She also had issues with PetLog involving all the red tape they have to apply.
She wanted to tell her story to let other pet owners to be vigilant. If you are unlucky enough to have your pet stolen and it is chipped, it doesn't mean you have a right to have it back.
19-10-2016, 03:17 PM
6
Re: Microchips - again
Originally Posted by tarantula
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I think all dogs have to be microchipped, by law, so that if they are involved in a crime they can be traced, and hopefully put down.
19-10-2016, 03:28 PM
7
Re: Microchips - again
Originally Posted by Meg
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No they don't the law is if your dog is caught without a microchip you will be requested to get one and if you don't you will pay a fine. I recently checked this with my vet.
19-10-2016, 03:32 PM
8
Re: Microchips - again
Originally Posted by Meg
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No they don't the law is if your dog is caught without a microchip you will be requested to get one and if you don't you will pay a fine. I recently checked this with my vet.
Originally Posted by tarantula
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So they do have to be microchipped.
My dog is not microchipped and this decision has my vets approval.
19-10-2016, 04:48 PM
10
Re: Microchips - again
I would have thought that if the real owner of the dog produced the micro chip registration document showing the name, address and name of the dog, that should prove without doubt who the true owner is. I would think it a rare even for the registration document to be taken if a dog was stolen or lost.Edited to add: by document I mean the registration card, which is like an ATM card.
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