Pilot project to make it mandatory for dog owners to microchip their pets to be implemented soon

All pet dogs in the state are to be inserted with a smart microchip about the size of a rice grain to make sure that the animal can be traced and have a record for further management.

“This practice will be implemented for the first time by the state government and the councils and it will be launched at a later date as a way to curb diseases like rabies. However, the pilot project will be carried out by Bau District Council in the first quarter of 2018,” said the Ministry of Local Government and Housing Public Health chief Dr Cheong Yaw Ling.

“The smart microchip will be borne by the government and what the owner of the dog has to do is just to bring the animal to the council for the minor surgery and insertion of the smart microchip. Once that is done, the animal will be traceable by a special detection mechanism to check on the animal’s records – health and other details,” he added.

He was addressing reporters at a press conference in a cafe in Matang Jaya before the mass operation to remove stray dogs was carried out in the area yesterday.

“This microchip technology is not new and in fact has been used by many countries to detect animals and their history like health conditions and also on pet animals for study and also as its identity and for documentation, he said.

Dr Cheong said they would try this pilot project on around 2,000 dogs in Bau (based on their dog records in the district) first before launching the microchip usage in the state. The smart microchip is of ISO standard and recognised by world bodies on animal management, he said.

Also at the press conference was state Veterinary Services Department acting director Dr Adrian Susin Ambud.

Source:
courtesy of THE BORNEO POST

by Wilfred Pilo

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