Safe pets cheap as chips

By Ewen McRae

Brimbank pet owners are being urged to do the right thing by their furry companions as part of a statewide blitz on microchipping.

For the third year in a row, PETstock Taylors Lakes will help pet owners microchip their pets, with $10 microchipping for cats and dogs on October 20 and 21.

In Victoria, cats and dogs must be microchipped as a condition of registration, which is mandatory by three months of age.

PETstock Taylors Lakes manager Marcy Rogers said it was important for all pet owners to get on board with the campaign, especially those with older animals.

“It’s a permanent and unique identification, and the number one way to get your pets home if they’re ever lost,” Ms Rogers said.

“Most pets you buy from a reputable seller will already be microchipped, but for older animals that may have slipped through the cracks and missed out when the legislation came through, this is an important message.

“It’s all about making sure our pets are safe and we’re taking the best care of them we can.”

PETstock said the rates of microchipping have risen nationally over the past three years, with 83 per cent of dogs (up 7 per cent) and 72 per cent of cats (up 9 per cent) now chipped.