MSP urges dog owners to chip their pets

Ms Grahame, who chairs the Cross Party Group on Animal Welfare in the Parliament, has long been an advocate of compulsory microchipping and has held several events with the Dog’s Trust offering a free service.

She said: “Compulsory microchipping will safeguard animal welfare, promote responsible dog ownership and reduce the number of lost and abandoned dogs.

“As well as reuniting pets with their owners, it will allow authorities to directly identify dog owners and hold them accountable for their dogs’ behaviour and welfare.”

The law change – which received overwhelming support in a public consultation last year – is due to come into effect in Scotland in April 2016, the same time as in England and Wales.

Under the new rules, all dogs will need to be microchipped and their owners’ details registered, and kept up to date in a database complying with certain conditions.

Ms Grahame added: “With less than six months to go until the law changes, I encourage all dog owners to ensure that their dogs are microchipped and, just as importantly, that their details are up to date.”