Blue Cross urges pet owners to get them microchipped or risk losing them forever

Thousands of pets admitted to rehoming centres, dog wardens and kennels as strays could in fact be much loved family pets who have become lost. 

Devoted dog lover and actress Sheridan Smith is backing our call for pet owners to act now and get their pet microchipped - as without one, local authorities and charities cannot reunite pets with their families and are forced to rehome them.

A third of all dogs – over 2,000 - brought to Blue Cross in 2015 were admitted as ‘strays’ from dog pounds or found wandering the streets. 

Because they weren’t microchipped, it’s impossible for us to know how many of them have loving families out there who are missing them.

Sheridan Smith’s beloved dog Enid has been stolen before and she knows how devastating it is when a pet goes missing. She said: “I know how devastating it is when a pet goes missing and would urge anyone to get theirs chipped. It is the best way councils and rescue charities can contact you if a pet ends up in their care. 

“Without a microchip it can be virtually impossible to be reunited with your pet and many end up having to find new homes.”

In total, over 70% of all dogs brought to Blue Cross last year for rehoming were not microchipped. From 6 April it will become law for all dogs to be chipped and owners may face a fine if they do not comply.

A pet found straying is the property of the local authority for seven days to give a chance for the owner to come forward, and can only be rehomed after this period. Blue Cross may contact owners who have reported their pet missing to their centres if they believe a stray without a microchip they have admitted could be their pet, but the possible owners would then have to prove ownership and perhaps even formally apply to rehome the pet.

Alyson Jones, Blue Cross Head of Rehoming said: “While we never know how a pet may become a stray, we see many who are in good health and are really friendly towards people. It suggests many are pets who could be being missed by devastated families. 

“Some dogs have even been trained which means they must have been owned and looked after before they came to us. Without a microchip it is sadly impossible for us to trace their owners and get them home.”

Four-year-old Yorkshire terrier Joseph, arrived at Blue Cross in Tiverton as a stray from a pound. He wasn’t microchipped but because of his friendly character and good condition he could be one of the hundreds of pets that come through our doors that is being missed by someone, somewhere.

Another, Lulu, is an eight-month-old springer spaniel admitted to Blue Cross centre in Lewknor, Oxfordshire as another stray from a pound. She appeared to have been recently groomed, has a sweet nature with people and has also had some basic training so could be another missing pet. 

Alyson continued: “Not only is microchipping your pet vital, it is also important to keep your contact details up to date with your database provider. It doesn’t happen automatically, so if you move home or change your phone number so make sure they always have your latest details.”

Find out more about dog microchipping now.