Members of Parliament show their support for National Microchipping Month

Members of Parliament have joined with the Kennel Club in urging all owners to have their pets microchipped and update their contact details as part of National Microchipping Month 2011, which is taking place throughout June.

National Microchipping Month aims to encourage and promote responsible pet ownership through microchipping as the preferred method of permanent pet identification. This year's theme focuses on updating the pet owner's database details. The scheme is run by Petlog, which is owned and managed by the Kennel Club, and has over 4.6 million pets registered, with 40,000 new pets added to the database each month.

To promote the campaign, Members of Parliament including Neil Parish, Roger Williams, Mary Creagh and Luciana Berger met with Kennel Club representatives to discuss the importance of microchipping. Neil Parish, Conservative MP, Chairman of the All-Party Group for Animal Welfare and a supporter of the Kennel Club's microchipping campaign, commented: "Microchipping your pet and ensuring that details are kept up to date is a large part of being a responsible dog owner. It can make a difference between being reunited with your pet or never seeing them again.

"In Europe, a majority of countries have already introduced compulsory microchipping and have since seen the number of lost, stray and abandoned dogs drop significantly, whilst witnessing tremendous savings for both their local authorities and welfare organisations."

Caroline Kisko, the Kennel Club's Communication Director, said: 'Throughout June we aim to show the public the importance of having their pet microchipped and why it is vital to ensure that all owner and pet details are kept up to date. Keeping database details updated is an essential ingredient in the microchip reunification process and we urge the public to check them regularly. We are grateful to the Members of Parliament for their help in highlighting this important aspect of microchipping and the overall importance of microchipping your pet as part of being a responsible pet owner."

Petlog will be running events throughout June to promote National Microchipping Month - to find out more information or to get involved visit www.nationalmicrochippingmonth.org.uk.

ENDS
[201.11]
25th June 2011
Caption: Conservative MP Neil Parish and Kennel Club Public Affairs Officer Denisa Delic show their support for National Microchipping Month

For further press information or interview requests please contact:
The Kennel Club Press Office
0207 518 1008
Press.office@thekennelclub.org.uk
www.thekennelclub.org.uk

Notes to Editors
•        Petlog is the UK's largest pet reunification service and is owned and managed by the Kennel Club.
•        Petlog holds the details of over 4.6 million animals and their owners and every month around 40,000 animals are added to the database.
•        Petlog manages and operates the 24/7 central reunification telephone service.
•        The Petlog after care service line staff answered over 140,000 calls on general enquiries, registrations and updates last year.
•        Last year the 24/7 central reunification line staff answered a further 110,000 calls in relation to lost and found pets.