Chips are down for animal lovers in Barnet borough

12:20pm Saturday 31st October 2009

By Kevin Bradford

ANIMAL lovers may never find out the fate of their missing pets because council officers can not scan them for microchips.

Despairing owners are left in limbo because Barnet Council does not have the technology to check the identity of small animals found dead in roads around the borough.

The RSPCA is contacted to collect larger dead animals, such as dogs, but for cats and other small pets, the council’s street cleaning team take responsibility.

Even if the animal was carrying a microchip, the owners could not be identified.

Pam Taylor, of Etchingham Park Road, Finchley, has been searching for her missing black cat Eric for more than three weeks, and said she fears she may never get closure on what has happened to him.

The 58-year-old, who has posted notices around her area to try to trace her cat, said: “People will get their pet chipped if they are a caring animal lover. You would expect to find out what happened to your missing pet. If the animal is chipped, you would hope the council would scan it with the aim of finding the owner and making sure they were contacted.

“It’s really hard because if Eric has died and someone has found him, I will never know, and he may just have been thrown away in the rubbish.”

Animal charities have also criticised the council, claiming it should inform distressed residents about any animals it finds dead on the road.

The RSPCA said councils are not obliged to check for microchips, but it strongly encouraged authorities to do so.

RSPCA spokesman Rob Harris said: “Those that do scan, we consider good animal welfare authorities and we would encourage Barnet to do it.

“We do understand there maybe a problem in communications with the waste disposal units and they don’t have the equipment to do it.

“We always encourage pet owners to get their pets microchips; we would encourage the council to end the loop by scanning the animals for information.”

Vet Mark Johnston, spokesman for the British Small Animal Veterinary Association, said it was traumatic for owners to never know what has happened to their pets.

He said: “It is not beyond the means of a council to buy the technology. It is not too expensive and it is quite easy to use. Owners would rather know if their pet is dead than have to worry about if someone has taken it or if it is injured somewhere.”

In a statement, the council said: “Efforts are always made to find any kind of identification such as a collar with an address or phone number and, if there are any identifying features, officers will contact the owner to inform them and discuss next steps.

“Unfortunately the council does not have the technology to scan for microchips.

“Officers are always encouraged to deal with any discoveries of dead pets sympathetically and appropriately.”