microchipping campaign
According to the latest Dogs Trust UK annual stray dog report; local councils took in an estimated 96,892 dogs in 2008 ; 6,710 were put to sleep- many through lack of space*. This equates to around 129 per week or 18 every day.
If all of these dogs were microchipped a significant number would have been reunited with their owners.
We hope that by starting this campaign we will raise public awareness and reduce the number of lives needlessly lost.
Please help us to make microchipping mandatory by signing our online petition and also writing to your local MP asking them to support this legislation. Together we can make a difference…
*some due to illness or aggression
Our Trip to Parliament
On 21st October 2008 the SOFA group went to parliament to present the microchipping petition. We had already collected over 6,000 signatures so we were very pleased. Here are some of the things we got up to:
We all had an extremely interesting tour to begin with. We learned lots about all the different areas in Parliament and what goes on in them.- We then had a brilliant question and answer session on microchipping with Dr Ian Gibson, Mr Richard Bacon and Mr Norman Lamb. It was very interesting. The MPs gave us some very useful advice about making laws.
- After that something really exciting happened. We got to see an important member of parliament, the Speaker; he marched into the House of Commons.
- We all had a brilliant day and we gained lots of knowledge!
- SOFA is going back to Parliament on February 3rd, this time with representatives from RSPCA, Dogs Trust, Dog Theft Action, Doris Banham Sanctuary and Vets Get Scanning. We will keep you updated on what happens this time!
By Nadya
Age 12
On Tuesday 3rd February 2009 my self, 3 other girls, Ms Cole, and Mrs Foulkes went back to parliament to represent S.O.F.A in a discussion about the compulsory microchipping of dogs.
- The meeting was arranged by an MP who was contacted by Sarah Wakefield (a member of the SOFA club from Cheltenham) because she, like the rest of the S.O.F.A club, is campaigning for compulsory microchipping.
- At the meeting were various MP’s, people from the Dogs Trust and RSPCA as well as other charities, Marc Abraham (S.O.F.A clubs patron and famous vet), as well as other people from various organisations who agree with microchipping.
- During the meeting we discussed the ways to make this possible and what would happen if it was. One thing that was talked about was an Early Day Motion. Also two MPs, from different parties, both said about possibly adding it to the list of things they would do if their party became the next government.
Over all I think it went very well and there were a lot of positive comments said. We, the S.O.F.A club, will keep going with this campaign and I think everyone should look out for it in the very near future."
By Roseannagh Wright