Microchipping for domestic animal businesses

Dogs and cats must be scanned at pounds and shelters

Within 3 days of entering a pound or shelter, cats and dogs must be scanned to find out if they are microchipped. If a pet is identified by microchip or tag the council must notify the owner in writing within 4 days if the pet is not recovered by the owner.

Cats and dogs must be microchipped before sale

All cats and dogs must be microchipped before they are sold by domestic animal businesses, which are:

• pet shops
• pounds
• shelters
• commercial dog breeders
• council registered breeders.

All dogs and cats advertised for sale (through a business or privately) must be implanted with a microchip and the microchip number along with the Pet Exchange Register source number of the seller must appear in the advertisement.

Microchipping before the sale of an animal

If an animal is not yet sold (and you do not have a written agreement for the sale of the animal) the microchip must be in the name of the business or business owner and transferred to the new owner when sold.

If the animal is sold or you have a written agreement with another domestic animal business for the sale of that animal, the microchip can be in the name of the new owner. You sign it as the agent of the owner.

The implanter must send this information to a licensed registry within 2 days of implantation. The form cannot be given to the domestic animal business or animal owner to send in to the registry.