About 1.5 million dog owners face a £500 fine when microchipping laws come into force next month.
From April 6 all dogs in the UK aged eight weeks and over will be legally required to have a microchip implanted.
About one in six owners have still not taken their animals to a vet for the £30 procedure. Some 83 per cent of owners have had their dogs microchipped, according to the Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra), implying that 1.45 million have not.
George Eustice, minister for animal welfare, said: “Microchipping our dogs will not only reunite people with their lost or stolen pets, but also help to tackle the growing problem of strays roaming the streets and relieve the burden placed on animal charities and local authorities.”
The law is also aimed at helping track the owners of dogs that attack people. Each chip has a unique 15-digit code which can be read through a scanner.
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More than 102,000 stray or stolen dogs are found every year. Defra says the law will help local authorities and charities that feed, kennel and home lost dogs to save £33 million a year.
Owners of dogs found by the police or local authorities without a microchip will be given a short period to comply with the law. If they do not, they could be fined up to £500.
Paula Boyden, veterinary director of Dogs Trust, said: “Losing a dog is an extremely upsetting time for both dog and dog owner and microchipping increases the likelihood that a dog will be reunited with their owner . . . making it an essential part of animal welfare law in England. It is vital that the microchip details are kept up to date. In 2015, 47,596 unclaimed and unwanted dogs were left in council kennels across the UK as these dogs could not be reunited with their owners.”
The cost of the procedure ranges from £10 to £30, with charities and animal shelters offering it free.
Dr Huw Stacey, director of clinical services at Vets4Pets, said: “Pet owners shouldn’t worry about microchipping their pet. It is a simple procedure. A microchip is about the same size of a grain of rice and is injected under the skin at the scruff of a dog’s neck.”