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NI introduces compulsory microchipping
New law on microchipping comes into force

Northern Ireland has become the first region of the United Kingdom to bring in legislation making it compulsory for a dog to be microchipped. The Dogs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011 also mandates measures to deal with dangerous dogs, Dog Control Notices, and more powers for Dog Wardens. It is hoped that the new legislation will assist with the identification of stray dogs and thus allow for a more rapid return to their rightful owners.

The new legislation also extends the jurisdiction of legislation to private property, thus closing a loophole in previous legislation that includes the Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1983, the Dangerous Dogs (Northern Ireland) Order 1991, and the Dogs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2001.

Commenting, Dog Warden Nicola Poole said "I think it'll make a big difference to dog wardens. It's another method of trying to track dogs' owners and get them home. Dogs' collars and tags can be lost and can be removed. The microchip is permanent, so it can be pretty helpful."

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Submissions open for BSAVA Clinical Research Abstracts 2026

News Story 1
 The BSAVA has opened submissions for the BSAVA Clinical Research Abstracts 2026.

It is an opportunity for applicants to present new research on any veterinary subject, such as the preliminary results of a study, discussion of a new technique or a description of an interesting case.

They must be based on high-quality clinical research conducted in industry, practice or academia, and summarised in 250 words.

Applications are welcome from vets, vet nurses, practice managers, and students.

Submissions are open until 6 March 2026. 

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News Shorts
Survey seeks ruminant sector views on antimicrobial stewardship

A new survey is seeking views of people working in the UK ruminant sector on how to tackle the challenge of demonstrating responsible antibiotic stewardship.

Forming part of a wider, collaborative initiative, the results will help identify the types of data available so that challenges with data collection can be better understood and addressed.

Anyone working in the UK farming sector, including vets and farmers,is encouraged to complete the survey, which is available at app.onlinesurveys.jisc.ac.uk