News & Events
Compulsory Microchipping for Equines from 01 July 2009.
09-06-2009
From 01 July, new European-wide regulations are bringing in compulsory microchipping for all equines (horses, ponies, mules and donkeys) born after 01 July 2009. Foals will have to be microchipped within 6 months of births or by 31 December in the year it is born - whichever is later.
It will also be complusory for older equines to be microchipped by a qualified vet before a passport can be applied for. Although equines with with an existing passort do not require a microchip, Okaham Veterinary Hospital strongly recommends the procedure as a security measure against loss or theft. Ensuring that a horse is easily indentifiable and linked to its owner will go a long way to recovering it, making the process far quicker and more efficient.
While microchipping has been compulsory for foals in the Thoroughbred breeding industry since 1999, proposals to introduce compulsory microchipping for all equines have been debated for many years. The new regulation has been welcomed by both the equine industry and animal welfare organisations.
Microchipping is done ny a simple injection and the tiny (size of a grain of rice) microchip has its own unique code number which gets registered on a national database
We also strongly recommend microchipping for your pets.
For more information please contact us on: Equine - 01572 722647 Small Animal - 01572 722646