Positive Meeting on Dog Chipping

24 March 2006

Positive Meeting on Dog Chipping

Federated Farmers has had a positive meeting with the Associate Minister of Local Government about the microchipping of dogs, said Charlie Pedersen, President of Federated Farmers of New Zealand.

“A Federation delegation met Hon Nanaia Mahuta yesterday to explain the reasons why working dogs should be exempted from the legal requirement for all dogs first registered after July 1 to be microchipped.

“The minister gave a good hearing to the Federation’s concerns,” Mr Pedersen said.

“Farmers are opposed to microchipping as it is another cost on the business of farming for no benefit. Microchipping will not stop dog attacks and rather than aid identification of dogs that attack, the added cost of microchipping will further discourage people from registering their dogs -- increasing non-compliance.

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

“We appreciate that the minister’s objective is to develop a policy that will balance the interests of all who want better dog control. But the Federation believes that this balance will remain if working dogs are exempted from the chipping rule.

“The Federation remains hopeful that the minister and her Cabinet colleagues will amend the Dog Control Amendment Act to give an exemption to working dogs,” Mr Pedersen said.

ENDS

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