Council tenants in a south-west London borough will be unable to have a pet dog unless it has been microchipped, under new rules.

Wandsworth Council will perform the procedure for free after concern about the lack of control on dog ownership.

Inserted under the dog's skin, the microchip enables owners to be easily identified if their dog becomes lost or attacks a person or another animal.

Council leader Edward Lister said: "We have got to get a grip on the problem."

Two serious dog attacks have taken place in the borough over the past year, Mr Lister said, and the owners of the animals lived in council-owned property.

Youths have also been seen training dogs to fight each other on one of the council's housing estates.

'Draconian'

"Ninety-nine per cent of our tenants are totally responsible about their animals but there is this small element which we have got to get a grip on," he told BBC London.

Under the move new council tenants in Wandsworth must agree to have their dogs microchipped under the terms of their tenancy or face eviction.

The council aims to extend the requirement to all its housing estate tenants over the next 12 months, a move that would affect 16,000 people.

"It is very draconian and we do not apologise for that," Mr Lister told BBC London.

The RSPCA and London's Battersea Dogs and Cats Home have supported the microchipping of pets.

Earlier this month the RSPCA said the number of dog fights reported had risen 15-fold in four years, from 24 to 348.

News Link BBC NEWS | UK | Tenant dogs must be microchipped

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www.cynomania.com

So do we all think this is a good thing??

I believe any move to make people more responsible for their pet has to be a good thing, especialy as the council are willing to cover the cost. I may be wrong but i would have thought that most responsible owners have their dogs chipped anyway...to deter against theft if nothing else.

I personally have just signed a petition for a new law that states all dogs should be chipped. It would certainly make people think twice before dumping poor dogs on the street when they have got fed up of the "much wanted family pet".

Do most forum members have their dogs chipped?

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A DOG WAGS HIS TAIL WITH HIS HEART

I agree with it myself, mind i can remember my mum buying a licence from the post office when we had a dog each year.
I'd hope something along these lines would help reduce the numbers of stray / unwanted dogs ending up in shelters
Both my dogs are chipped and i have spoke to pups new owners about getting them done

great idea.

Maybe if people knew the dog would be traced back to them they would think a bit more carefully about dumping it when they are fed up.

Also breeders should be logged on the chip.

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www.fairlenium.piczo.com
Health testing for the future.

Excellent idea.

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