Pet Tag Laws

Having an engraved pet disk will let the person who finds your pet know where the owner can be contacted

A pet tag is majorly important in keeping your family pet safe and sound if it runs away from home because it presents details that are engraved on the pet tag such as your name,contact number,address etc. It is just a sad and unfortunate proven fact that a large number of animals get lost each and every year and will never be returned to their owner simply due to the fact they do not have method of identification such as a pet tag. As family pets are unable to communicate for themself, it is extremely crucial that you know they are identified by using an engraved pet id tag making certain that if lost, when found, they may be returned to their relieved owner as soon as possible.

The Control of Dogs Order 1992 states that any dog in a public place should wear a collar and pet id tag with details of the owner including  name and address of the owner engraved or written on it, or engraved on a pet tag. Your postcode is optional (but we do recommend that you incorporate it), and also your contact number is also optional (but highly recommended).

A Pet tag is essential because your much loved and adored family pet really should be safeguarded by a pet tag. A  pet tag is so important mainly because your much loved pet must be secured by a tag.  A pet tag can be read by the rescuer so that they can contact you right away.  The pet tag is the most well-known type of identification for dogs and cats, and with the contact information on the pet tag if the pet is lost, the person has instantaneous accessibility to the owners contact information.  The whole purpose of a pet id disc is always to present information in case your pet becomes lost and an person finds him or her.

The Control of Dogs Order 1992

Title and commencement 1.

This Order may be cited as the Control of Dogs Order 1992 and shall come into force on 1st April 1992.

Wearing of collars by dogs 2.

(1) Subject to paragraph (2) below, every dog while in a highway or in a place of public resort shall wear a collar with the name and address of the owner inscribed on the collar or on a plate or badge attached to it.
(2) Paragraph (1) above shall not apply to—
(a) any pack of hounds,
(b) any dog while being used for sporting purposes,
(c) any dog while being used for the capture or destruction of vermin,
(d) any dog while being used for the driving or tending of cattle or sheep,
(e) any dog while being used on official duties by a member of Her Majesty’s Armed Forces or Her Majesty’s Customs and Excise or the police force for any area,
(f) any dog while being used in emergency rescue work, or
(g) any dog registered with the Guide Dogs for the Blind Association.

Offences 3.

The owner of a dog or the person in charge of a dog who, without lawful authority or excuse, proof of which shall lie on him, causes or permits the dog to be in a highway or in a place of public resort not wearing a collar as prescribed in article 2(1) above shall be guilty of an offence against the Animal Health Act 1981.

Seizure of dogs 4.

Any dog in respect of which an offence is being committed against this Order may be seized and treated as a stray dog under section 3 of the Dogs Act 1906(1) or under section 149 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Enforcement 5.

(1) This Order shall be executed and enforced by the officers of a local authority (and not by the police force for any area).
(2) In this article “local authority” and “officer” have the same meaning as in section 149 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

Revocation 6.

The Orders specified in the Schedule to this Order are hereby revoked to the extent specified in column 3 of that Schedule.

 

Pets and Their Microchips

While it is not compulsory in the United kingdom to embed an identity microchip in your pet, many people chosse to do so.

Most animal sanctuaries and the RSPCA have scanners that detect and read the data on microchips, so they are a reliable way to properly identify the owner of an animal.

Microchips should not be used instead of tags. If you microchip your pet, an identification tag is still a very important item.

The most popular occurrence when a pet is lost, and then found, is that it is found by a member of the public. If the animal appears in good health, then the first reaction of a person is to look for a collar tag with the pet's or owners name on it and a contact address or telephone number.

Members of the public are unable to determine if an animal has been microchipped, and will have to visit a vet or an animal sanctuary to have the animal scanned. This incurs a cost for the person who found the animal (both in time and money) and consumes time and resources of the vet or the sanctuary.

It is far easier and much more convenient for a member of the public to refer to details on the pet disc linked to the collar.