05/04/2024
It is great to hear that Tuk's Law and RBU is being supported going forward, but more must still be done.
PetScanner have supported RBU for many years now and it is great to see thousands using this feature with us, but it is pointless if the microchip isn't checked prior to euthanasia.
We have also made great changes to our check-a-chip lookup tool on our website and app that displays vital information for anyone searching the microchip number, such as RBU record.
Please sign the petition: https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/658109
🥳Today we would like to share something exciting with you all that we are so incredibly proud of.🥳
Since we started over 5 years ago, our aim to have rescue back up honoured and to stop the euthanasia of any healthy or treatable animals has been clear. We have also petitioned for breeder details to remain on microchips as well as a RBU prefix on microchip databases that is instantly recognisable when that chip number was checked, amongst other things, including the need for the central recording of numbers of healthy dogs euthanised.
Rescues need and deserve to have their dedication and commitment to the animals they save, recognised, respected and honoured and whilst we are campaigning for several other things, it is all intertwined and alongside stopping the deaths of healthy and treatable animals, honouring rescue and breeder back up has, without doubt been our primary aim.
In 2022, following several meetings with them, DEFRA published the cat and dog microchip consultation, for anyone who wanted, to have their say. The results of this were made public today.
This consultation response from DEFRA has been brought about by the joint effort by ourselves, our supporters and several of the microchip database providers and we continue to be committed to working alongside them and DEFRA in the future.
Our particular area of interest generated 616 responses which was by far the most within the consultation process and a clear indication that we are raising awareness and making progress.
DEFRA state:-
“Where ‘back-up support’ is registered on a microchip record, this should be flagged on the information returned by a search in the Single Point of Search portal”.
Other areas we have petitioned for included the “back up support” of either a rescue of breeder to remain for life on the microchip database and so we are absolutely thrilled to see that the breeder details will remain:-
“We plan to require dog breeder information to remain as a permanently accessible part of the microchip record for enforcement purposes”.
and we will continue to work with DEFRA and microchip database providers as we move forward on the following:-
“We will consider further with database operators whether an approach that meets data protection requirements can be developed that allows ‘back-up support’ to remain a permanently accessible part of the record”.
Our campaign resulted in a number of additional details being considered including:
* pet’s rescue status, including details of the rehoming organisation
* secondary contact in case the keeper is uncontactable
Todays outcome confirms the following;
When rescue back up is registered on a microchip it will now be flagged on the information returned on the new single point of search portal.
This means the RBU information is instantly seen by a vet when they scan the microchip and the animals details are returned to them.
We attach below a link to read the entire document.
And to all rescues we say this….
It has and continues to be a long, hard and very emotional journey for us, one which we are very proud of but it is for you and your animals we do this and getting wide rescue support has been difficult at times. Neither of us are a rescue. We do not rehome dogs nor do we hold any charity status. What we do, we do purely out of respect and love for all the animals who are potentially at risk and for you in order to protect the animals you rehome. To make the most of what we have achieved so far, you should be providing rescue back up and registering your animals microchips with a defra compliant database who provide a back up registration facility to protect your animals. If you don’t already do this- please start now. We can help you. So get in touch we will happily chat to you more. But if you love your animals- do this.
We have so much going on behind the scenes and meetings with the potential to achieve even more… but- we NEED rescues to take these changes on board as the fantastic positive that they are and use this opportunity to protect your animals.
We are blessed to have a fantastic relationship with several databases - who we would be happy to put you in touch with- as well as contacts in defra, mps and others but it is you, Team Tuk who makes what we do possible. Thank you to each and every one of you for your constant, unwavering support and we hope you will share our pride today in what is, without doubt a momentous day. Any step forward in this is exciting as was the change we achieved in the RCVS code of conduct and knowing defra are listening and working with us is just amazing.
We attach our new petition too… we must get this to a debate in order to go even further so please share it in any groups you can and help us get to 100,000 signatures.
Thank you all, especially Conor & Kieran.
Love
Sue & Dawn xx
https://www.gov.uk/government/consultations/cat-and-dog-microchipping-consultation
https://petition.parliament.uk/petitions/658109
