WHILE it’s hardly the stuff of major news stories it is important that pet owners realise that new laws are on the way to transform dog ownership.

From April, it will be compulsory for all dogs in England to be microchipped and registered with a recognised database. Owners who fail to do so could be fined up to £500 under the new rules.

The move has been welcomed by animal welfare charities, and that’s no surprise. Anything which makes pet ownership more responsible is a good thing, and it means that lost animals can soon be reunited with their owners.