Dog Licence & Microchip

Table of Contents

Licence

It is unlawful for a person to keep a dog unless he holds either a dog licence or a general dog licence for the premises where the dog is kept. A dog includes a bitch of any age or a dog of any age. It is unlawful for a person to take possession of a dog before obtaining a licence. It is unlawful to transfer possession of a dog to another person unless the other person holds a dog licence above.

The occupier of a premises where a dog is found is presumed to be the person who keeps the dog unless he proves he is not the owner and the dog was kept without his knowledge on the premises or by some other person who had a licence for the dog.

Dog licences are issued by the local authority for the area in which the dog is kept or intended to be kept. Similarly, a general licence is issued by the authority in which the premises is situate. The local authority, with the consent of the Minister for the Environment and Local Government, may enter arrangements with other persons to issue licences on its behalf.

A person may not obtain a dog licence if he is under 16 or disqualified as below.

Exempt from Licence

Dog licences are not required for dogs in the following circumstances.

while in the possession of the Irish Society of Prevention of Cruelty to Animals or other persons with whom the local authority enters an equivalent arrangement
while in the possession of the local authority
while kept by a member of an Garda Síochána for the purpose and execution of his duty
while used as a guide dog by a blind person or persons whose eyesight is so defective as to require guidance.
while under the age of 4 months and kept with its foster mother or father
when imported into the State for a period of 30 days
a greyhound purchased for export, which is exported from the state within 30 days of purchase
Such other classes as may be described.

A dog licence issued to a person in effect may be transferred to another person with possession of the dog. The transfer must be to the new owner. Dog licences are annual or for longer periods as may be prescribed.

An individual dog licence, which costs €20 and is valid for 1 year.
A ‘lifetime of dog’ licence, which costs €140 and is valid for the dog’s lifetime.
A general dog licence, which costs €400 and is valid for 1 year. This covers an unspecified number of dogs at one location.

The rates may be varied by ministerial order.

Identification

Regulations may make provision for means of identification of dogs or certain types of dogs. It may require a dog to carry a means of licence identification by disc, badge or plate attached. Dogs must wear a collar that bears its name and address inscribed under its plate.

It may make provisions for exemptions for certain persons including officers of the Department of Agriculture or other officers. It may exempt specified classes of persons and specified classes of dogs generally or in specified circumstances.

Microchipping

All dogs must be microchipped by a vet and registered on an authorised database by the time they are 12 weeks. This also applies if a dog leaves the property where they were born before they are 12 weeks.

2015 regulations specify the requirements in respect of micro-chipping. The microchip must comply with certain international standards. It must have a unique code which is entered on the dog identification database with specified information. The regulations apply to a dog born after 1 June 2015 on reaching 12 weeks and to all dogs after 31 March 2016.

It is not necessary for a dog in which a transponder was inserted before the commencement of the Regulations to have a microchip inserted upon commencement if the transponder is a microchip and the required information is entered into a dog identification database.

A person may not have a dog in his possession or under his control unless it is microchipped and registered as required. A dog may not be sold or offered for sale unless microchipped and registered and unless certain requirements are fulfilled.

Dog Database

A dog identification database is a database listed on the website of the Department of State of the Minister that complies with the conditions set down in the Schedule, is used to record the information specified in paragraph (2) as notified to the operator and whose operator has signed a service agreement with the Minister for the purpose of these Regulations.

The information that is to be entered on a dog identification database is—

the unique identifier of the microchip inserted in the dog,
the date of insertion of microchip,
the date of birth of the dog,
description of the dog which may include breed, colour and markings,
the sex of the dog,
the address of the premises where the dog is normally kept,
the name, address and contact details of the owner and, if different, person having possession or control of the dog,
the identity (including a unique identifying code assigned by the Database operator) of the person who microchips and registers a dog,
details (cause, date and place) of the death of the dog, and

The dog identification database shall produce a certificate containing the information specified in respect of a dog whose details are entered into the database.

Database Operation

The operator of a dog identification database shall make available a certificate of registration relating to a dog whose details are entered on the database—

to an authorised officer on a request being made in that regard, and
to the person identified on the dog identification database as the owner of the dog.

A person whose name is entered on a dog identification database shall, in respect of a dog in his or her possession or under his or her control, take all necessary steps to ensure that the information specified is accurate and up to date.

A person shall not have in his or her possession or under his or her control unless he or she has possession of a current certificate of registration relating to the dog. He shall produce the certificate of registration for inspection by an authorised officer on a request being made in that regard or at a place and time specified by the authorised officer.

Sale or supply of Dog

A person shall not sell or supply a dog or cause or permit another person to sell or supply a dog unless—

the person acquiring the dog has produced for inspection an accepted form of identification and a utility bill issued within the previous three months giving the person’s address,
he or she endorses the name and address of the person acquiring the dog, as recorded on the utility bill referred to in on a legible copy of a certificate of registration relating to the dog, and
he or she gives the endorsed certificate of registration to the person acquiring the dog.

A person who sells or supplies a dog shall, at the time of sale or supply, notify the dog identification database, which holds information relating to the dog in a form specified by the dog identification database operator of the name, address and contact details of the person acquiring the dog.

Acquiring a Dog

A person who acquires a dog shall at the time of acquisition–

notify a dog identification database in a form specified by the dog identification database operator giving all necessary information to have his or her name, address and other contact details entered in that database by the operator, and
send the certificate of registration with a copy of the accepted form of identification and utility bill referred to in that paragraph to the dog identification database.

The operator of a dog identification database shall, on receipt, record the information received under this Regulation on the database and shall issue an updated certificate of ownership to the person acquiring the dog.

Death or loss of Dog

The owner or person in charge of a dog shall, immediately after the death or loss of the dog, notify the dog identification database which holds information relating to the dog in a form specified by the dog identification database operator giving all necessary information to have the death or loss entered in that database by the operator.

A person who euthanizes a dog shall, where the owner cannot be contacted, immediately after the death of the dog, notify the dog identification database, which holds information relating to the dog in a form specified by the dog identification database operator giving all necessary information to have the death entered in that database.

The operator of a dog identification database shall, on receipt, record the information received under this Regulation on the database.

Microchip Operation

A person shall not have a dog implanted with a transponder-

that does not comply with ISO Standard 11784, does not apply FDX-B technology or is not capable of being read by a reading device compatible with ISO Standard 11785, and
unless the person requesting the service has produced for inspection an accepted form of identification and a utility bill referred to, giving the person’s address.

A person shall not microchip and register a dog unless he or she is—

a veterinary practitioner,
a veterinary nurse,
a person trained to insert the microchip and correctly handle the data and identifying material for the microchip, and ) whose name, address and other contact information are published on the website of a dog identification database.

He or she shall not register a dog on a dog identification database unless he or she has successfully completed training in the use of that database and been assigned a unique identifying number by the operator.

A person shall not microchip and register a dog with a microchip if he or she or a connected person-

has a pecuniary interest or other beneficial interest in the dog,
is the owner or part owner of the dog,
as possession or control of the dog whether on a full-time or part-time basis, or
is a partner or an employee of a person to whom subparagraph (a), (b) or (c) refers.

The operator of a dog breeding establishment or a person employed in connection with such an establishment shall not identify a dog for the purposes of the Regulations. This does not apply to–

a person employed by a charitable organisation (within the meaning of section 2 of the Charities Act 2009 ) engaged in providing shelter for animals, or
a person employed by a hunt club within the meaning of section 2 of the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010.

The operator of a dog identification database may provide for the training of persons to identify a dog with a microchip and register the dog on a dog identification database and shall

give a certificate indicating that a person has successfully completed a training course, and
assign a unique identifying number,

to each person trained by him or her.

Records of microchips

A person who supplies a microchip shall maintain a record detailing, in respect of each consignment,-

the number of microchips in the consignment,
the unique identification number of each microchip,
the date of supply,
the name, address and other contact details of the person to whom the microchip is supplied.

A person who implants a microchip in a dog shall maintain a record detailing, in respect of each microchip—

the unique identification number of each microchip,
the date of implantation, and
the name, address and other contact details of the person to whom the microchip is supplied.

A person importing microchips shall notify a dog identification database, with whom they have a contract for the storage of data, of the unique identification number of each microchip.

A record maintained under this Regulation shall be maintained for twenty years following its insertion into a dog to which it relates and shall be made available on request to an authorised officer.