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Dog licensing to change in Northern Ireland
Microchipping
Dog owners will also be required to ensure that their contact information on the microchip databases is kept up to date.

Amended regulations will make microchipping the sole method of ID
 
Dog licensing requirements are set to change in Northern Ireland, meaning that from January 1, 2015 microchipping will be the sole method of identification in dogs, and the coloured licence tags issued by Councils will be discontinued.

The announcement was made yesterday (Tuesday, 16 December) by Northern Ireland's agriculture minister, Michelle O'Neill.

Minister O’Neill said: "Microchipping of your dog is a compulsory part of dog licensing and following consultation with council chief executives, it was agreed to discontinue with the coloured tag, issued with a dog licence or upon licence renewal.

"Dog owners must still ensure that their name and address is inscribed on the dog’s collar or on a plate or badge attached to it. This requirement remains in place."

As part of the new regulations, dog owners will also be required to ensure that their contact information on the microchip databases is kept up to date.

The Minister added: "These measures are to ensure responsible dog ownership and so that you are quickly reunited with your dog should it go missing. To facilitate the updating of microchip details requirement, I am delighted to announce that Dogs Trust, in conjunction with local councils, will be launching a campaign to assist dog owners here to update their contact details on microchip databases for free. Dates and venues will be advertised in the local media in early 2015.

"I would encourage dog owners to take advantage of Dogs Trust’s generous offer to update their contact details on microchip databases for free."

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Cold-water dip to raise funds for Vetlife

News Story 1
 The veterinary mental health charity Vetlife is inviting the veterinary community to join it for a sponsored cold-water dip.

The event will take place at Walpole Bay, Margate, on 17 May during Mental Health Awareness Week. Participants of all abilities can join in the challenge and are advised to bring a towel, a hot drink, a snack, and warm clothes to get changed into afterwards.

Those taking part are being asked to try to raise £100 each to support the work of the charity.

Details about how to take part can be found here. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
Bluetongue low vector period ends

In an update to its bluetongue guidance, the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) has announced that the seasonal low vector period for the disease has ended.

With winter over, Defra is planning for a possible increase in cases as midges become more active. It has warned that farms along the east coast of England from Norfolk to Kent, and along the south coast from Kent to Devon, are at highest risk from infected midges blown over from northern Europe.

Since the virus was detected in England in November 2023, there have been 126 confirmed cases. The most recent case to be confirmed was on 1 March 2024.

Farmers are asked to continue to frequently monitor their livestock and ensure their animals and land are registered with the Animal and Plant Health Agency.