Dog Chipping Won’t Stop Dog Attacks

3 February 2006

Dog Chipping Won’t Stop Dog Attacks

A recent spate of dog attacks has highlighted the idiocy of the government’s plan to microchip all dogs, said Charlie Pedersen, President of Federated Farmers of New Zealand (Inc).

All dogs first registered after July 1, 2006, must be implanted with a microchip.

"Contrary to the government’s claims, microchipping will do nothing to stop dog attacks,”Mr Pedersen said.

“Rather than aid identification of dogs that attack, the added cost of microchipping will further discourage people from registering their dogs -- increasing non-compliance.

"Microchipping dogs, especially farm dogs, is a waste of time and money. It will do nothing to lower the incidence of dog attacks.

“If farmers were to comply with this foolish legislation, more than 60,000 farm dogs would need to be chipped each year at a cost of $3-$7 million,” Mr Pedersen said.

“This week we had three media reports of attacks, but microchipping would not have made a difference in preventing the attack or bringing the owners to justice.

“The government should abandon its ill-conceived law to impose microchipping,” Mr Pedersen said.

ENDS

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