Animal Welfare Board States Microchipping Can Prevent Pet Abandonment

Chennai: The Tamil Nadu Animal Welfare Board (TNAWB) has recommended the Greater Chennai Corporation (GCC) to issue pet licenses with microchips to track down the owners if pets are lost or abandoned. 

Microchips are tiny, non-electrical identification devices which are implanted under a pet’s skin. Pet microchips come with a Unique Identification Number (UIN), which means no two microchips are alike, making them an easy and reliable way of identifying pets, their vaccination history, and neutering status. 

If a pet gets lost or is abandoned, a microchip makes it far easier to find them. A vet or shelter that comes across them can scan their microchip and contact the owner through the provided details. This method is also more efficient than other ways of pet search and identification like posting posters on social media. 

It is difficult to compile the statistics pertaining to abandoned pets; however, the TNAWB received emails about 18 abandoned pet dogs in Chennai from May to Sept. Among the abandoned pets were six Labradors, four Huskies and three Dobermans. "Last week, a Rottweiler and a Labrador were tied to a tree and abandoned in Pallikaranai marshland," said TNAWB member Shruti Vinodh Raj.

The TN govt also banned 11 cold-climate dog breeds last month, including Pugs and Siberian Huskies, as they are not suited for the state's hot climate. "Huskies and Pugs are high-maintenance pets and are often abandoned. Microchipping along with licensing would help curb abandonment," said Shruti. 

GCC has made pet licensing mandatory due to increasing reports of pet dog attacks. "Till last month, we had issued about 8,000 pet licences, compared to just 1,000 last year," said a GCC official, adding that they would encourage microchipping to prevent abandonment. "Despite the benefits, only about two in ten pet owners consider microchipping their pets," said Dr S Bharath, a GCC assistant veterinary surgeon in the Thiruvottiyur zone.

With roughly 180,000 stray dogs on the streets of Chennai, pet abandonment could further contribute to this population if not kept in check.