The Local Police of Los Realejos in Tenerife have been armed with two new microchip reading devices so that they can check all dogs in the municipality have been chipped, something that is required by the council if you want to own a pet, and verify their identity to update the council's database.
The municipal ordinance requires that owners register their pets on the Pets Census Register with the details of the people of legal age, who will be responsible for them. This must be done before they are 3 months old, and must be updated within 30 days in the case of new acquisition, change of residence, or temporary transfer of the animal.
The Councilor for Health and Safety and Emergencies, Carolina Toste, explained yesterday (Wednesday) that "what is sought with this type of initiative is not to limit the possession of animals, but to facilitate responsible ownership, and ensure, in the event of the loss of an animal, for example, the immediate location of its owner”.
For his part, the mayor of the town, Adolfo González, has detailed that "fortunately more and more people with animals are complying with this obligation, which in the case of dogs and cats translates into the corresponding microchip implantation".
This requirement has also been promoted by the town hall with local veterinary clinics, agreeing on a one-off price of 70 euros for the aforementioned chip implantation service, anti-rabies vaccine, and pet card identification.