Straits Times 15 Jun 10;
THERE are now a record 58,000 licensed dogs in Singapore, of which more than half, or 34,000 of them, are microchipped.
But microchipping, which has been compulsory with new dog licence applications since September 2007, does not seem to have cut down the number of lost dogs or helped reunite them with their owners. 'If it's working, it's not evident to us,' said Ms Deirdre Moss, executive officer of the Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals (SPCA).
The SPCA receives 80 to 90 lost dogs a month, most without identification, and only 10 per cent to 20 per cent have a microchip that can be traced to an owner.
The figures are similar at Action for Singapore Dogs' rescue centre: For every 10 dogs it receives, only about three are microchipped, and only one of those three is licensed.
Microchipping - implanting a tiny electronic device between the animal's shoulder blades - is not a magic bullet to ending pet abandonment, said vets and rescue groups. If the chip number is not linked to an owner's name and address in a database, there is no way to track down the owner.
All dogs older than three months are supposed to be licensed, to control the spread of rabies. Failure to comply with the Agri-Food and Veterinary Authority's Animals and Birds (Dog Licensing and Control) Rules can lead to a maximum fine of $5,000.
GRACE CHUA
