Statistics reveal huge number of stray dogs
As the government considers whether to make microchipping compulsory, statistics have been released revealing that almost four fifths of the UK's stray dogs are not microchipped.
According to the figures from the Microchip Alliance Compulsory Microchipping Briefing:
• Last year over 126,000 stray dogs were
handled by local authorities - of these
around 7,500 were put to sleep.
• 77% of stray dogs which local authorities receive are not microchipped.
• Petlog estimates that 58% of dogs in the UK are microchipped
The public consultation into compulsory microchipping is nearing its end, and the issue of microchipping is on the minds of many. Last year, the Kennel Club contacted twenty five microchip databases across Europe in order to examine the effects of compulsory microchipping.
The research did not take differing national attitudes towards compliance with the law into account, but compulsory microchipping appears to have had a positive impact in Belgium, Denmark, the Netherlands, Estonia, Switzerland and France.
With National Microchipping Month to take place in June, it remains to be seen whether microchipping will become compulsory in this country.
The BSAVA has opened submissions for the BSAVA Clinical Research Abstracts 2026.
