Dog Sales and Microchipping in Ireland
In Ireland, microchipping dogs is a legal requirement under the Microchipping of Dogs Regulations 2015. This regulation mandates that all dogs over 12 weeks old must be microchipped and registered in an approved database. Understanding these regulations is vital for both sellers and buyers.
Here’s an overview of the microchip processing for dogs in Ireland, including the registered databases:
Microchip Standards
Microchips implanted in dogs must adhere to ISO-11784 and ISO-11785 standards. These microchips are 15-digit numeric codes that typically start with numbers like 972, 981, 987, or 991 and do not contain any letters or special characters.
Registration Process
To comply with Irish law, every dog must be microchipped and registered on one of the four approved Irish databases: IKC (Irish Kennel Club), ICC (Irish Coursing Club), Fido, or Animark. It is important to keep registration information current.
Checking Registration Status
To verify a dog’s microchip registration status, you can use EuroPetNet.com, which consolidates data from multiple European databases. You can also check directly with the individual databases or use aggregators like Europetnet.com and Petmaxx.
You can directly check microchip information from three of the four databases:
- Fido Chip Check – Fido
- Animark Chip Check – Animark
- MicrodogID Chip Check – MicrodogID
Northern Ireland and the UK
For dogs in Northern Ireland and the rest of the UK, microchip registration is managed via check-a-chip.co.uk, following similar regulations.
Imported Dogs
Dogs imported into Ireland must have a Pet Passport and their microchips registered with an Irish database within 21 days of entering the country.
International Chips
Some countries, like Romania and Hungary, provide direct lookup tools for their registries. Discussions about developing a centralized microchip lookup tool for Ireland are ongoing.
- Romania – RompetID
- Hungary – PetVetData
Conclusion
Compliance with dog sales and microchipping in Ireland is crucial for dog sellers and owners in Ireland. Staying informed about these requirements ensures legal compliance and helps with pet identification and reunification efforts.