# Dogs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011, Section 2: Microchipping


(1) In Article 6 of the Dogs Order (issue of dog licences) at the end add—
“(7) A district council shall not—
(a) issue a dog licence in respect of a dog, or
(b) issue a transfer certificate in respect of a new dog,
unless that dog has been microchipped; and any licence or transfer certificate purporting to be issued in respect of a dog which has not been microchipped is void.
(8) For the purposes of paragraph (7) a dog is microchipped if (and only if)—
(a) a microchip has been implanted in the dog before the coming into operation of section 2(1) of the Dogs (Amendment) Act (Northern Ireland) 2011; or
(b) a microchip is implanted in the dog in accordance with regulations under Article 31(1)(f).
(9) Paragraph (7) does not apply if the keeper of the dog produces to the council a certificate signed by a veterinary surgeon to the effect that implantation (or continued implantation) of a microchip in the dog would have an adverse effect on the health of the dog.”.
(2) In Article 31(1) of the Dogs Order (regulations with respect to dogs) after sub-paragraph (e) insert—
“(f) prescribe and regulate the microchipping of dogs and regulate the reading of any microchip implanted in a dog.”.
(3) In Article 31 of the Dogs Order after paragraph (1) insert—
“(1A) Regulations under paragraph (1)(f) may in particular provide—
(a) for the use of microchipping as a means of—
(i) identification of a dog and its keeper;
(ii) licence identification;
(b) for conferring powers on officers in connection with such identification;
(c) that a dog is microchipped for the purposes of Article 6(7) if (and only if)—
(i) the microchip is of a prescribed class or description or of a class or description approved by a prescribed body or person;
(ii) the microchip is implanted in the dog by a person of a prescribed class or description;
(iii) any prescribed conditions in relation to the keeping and making available to councils of information in connection with the use of the microchip as mentioned in sub-paragraph (a) are satisfied; and
(iv) any other prescribed conditions are satisfied.”.

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Source: https://www.legislation.gov.uk/nia/2011/9/section/2 (the official version)
Page: https://openlegislation.uk/dogs-amendment-act-northern-ireland-2011/section-2
Contains public sector information licensed under the Open Government Licence v3.0. Source: legislation.gov.uk, The National Archives.