A Westbury woman has been fined after failing to update the details for her pet’s microchip.
It is a legal requirement for pet owners in England, Scotland and Wales to microchip their cats and dogs and ensure the details stored on it are up to date. Failure to do so could lead to a prosecution and fine.
Violet Cooper, 38, from Dilton Marsh failed to appear at Salisbury Magistrates Court on Thursday 22nd May and the case was heard in her absence. She was found guilty of failing to comply with a notice requiring her to update her dog’s ownership details on the microchip database within 21 days. She was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs of £539.59 to Wiltshire Council and a victim surcharge of £88.
The court heard that a Chow Chow type dog was found in the Penleigh area of Westbury in August 2024 and taken to a local veterinary practice.
It was wearing a pink collar but did not have the name and address of the owner inscribed or on a plate or badge attached to it. When scanned, the dog was found to have a microchip, but there were no details registered on any of the approved databases. As no owner could be located, Wiltshire Council’s Dog Warden team were contacted.
Ms Cooper attended the veterinary practice to look for her dog at the same time as an officer arrived to seize the dog as a stray. She provided her details and address to the officer, who was satisfied she was the current keeper of the Chow Chow, named Juliet. Ms Cooper was issued with a microchip improvement notice requiring her to update the details on Juliet’s microchip within 21 days, but failed to do so, and the registered details continue to be incorrect.
She was found guilty of failing to comply with a notice requiring her to update her dog’s ownership details on the microchip database within 21 days. Cooper was fined £220 and ordered to pay costs of £539.59 to Wiltshire Council and a victim surcharge of £88.
Cllr Paul Sample, cabinet member for Waste, Climate Emergency and Environment, said, “Microchipping a cat or dog is a permanent way of identifying your pet if they get lost or stolen. If your pet goes missing, our officers can scan the microchip and get them home safely.
“It became compulsory by law for all dogs to be microchipped in April 2016, and for cats in 2023. Ms Cooper has been given lots of opportunities to update the information on her dog’s microchip and comply with the law but chose to ignore the issue. Hopefully, this outcome will act as a costly reminder to all dog or cat owners to ensure that their pet is microchipped and that details on the chip are up to date. We will not hesitate to prosecute those who fail to comply.”
Pictured: Salisbury Magistrates Court, where the defendant failed to appear
