Around five dogs have been microchipped every week in Wandsworth since 2009 as part of the borough’s ongoing campaign to promote responsible pet ownership.
Figures from London Council revealed the area now has a record of roughly 5,000 pooches living in it and as a result, local authorities are attempting to reduce risks posed by ‘status dogs’ owned by anti-social tenants, who use their aggressive pets to harass other people.
Councillor Jonathan Cook, Wandsworth’s community safety spokesman, said council officers have been leading the charge against irresponsible dog owners, whose actions cause misery and sometimes harm.
He explained compulsory microchipping housing estate tenants and leaseholders’ dogs has led to a decline in the number of complaints about attacks and added that if this was rolled out to all dogs, “it would mean that strays and lost dogs could be returned to their owners without any delay and without incurring expensive kennelling costs for local authorities and charities”.
Wandsworth has been urging the government to introduce regulations on dog ownership since 2007 and it recently partnered with the RSPCA to provide free dog neutering to pets that are registered as part of the microchipping scheme.