MICROCHIPPING.
From 6th April 2016 all dogs in England will be legally required to be microchipped and their details registered on one of the authorised databases such as Petlog.
Any owner whose dog is found without a chip and can be traced by local authorities will have a short period of time to have the dog microchipped, owners who do not comply could face fines of up to £500.
The new law is hoped to help reduce the number of stray and abandoned dogs and also make it easier to reunite lost or stolen dogs with their owners
All dogs and cats that are rehomed by Luna Animal Rescue will be microchipped and as required by law the details will be updated to the new registered keeper.
PET INSURANCE
People tend to think it’s only older pets that get ill and therefore younger pets don’t need pet insurance
but we know from the patients we see each day that that is not the case.
In fact, the younger your pet is when you insure them the better as it means you are less likely to have
any existing conditions, which may not be covered by the policy and you can then receive more help
covering the cost of any future treatment your pet needs.
It is important to note that not all pet insurance is the same. There are many different types of policy
available and the level of cover provided can vary considerably. The four main types of policy are as
follows:
Accident: provides cover for accidents only and no cover for illness
Time-Limited: provides cover for a set amount of time (usually 12 months) and after this period
the condition is excluded
Maximum Benefit: provides cover up to a maximum amount of money per condition and once
this limit is reached the condition is excluded
Lifetime: provides a set amount of money each year which is refreshed each time you renew
your policy allowing you to continue to claim for ongoing conditions provides cover for accidents
only and no cover for illness
As you can see from the information above, the type of policy you choose can have implications for the
veterinary care of your pet and the costs you will face so it’s important to choose the right cover.
Sometimes, the cheapest insurance can cost you more in the long run. When shopping around for a
policy, we suggest that you ask the following questions to allow you to compare the overall value you are
getting, not just the price:
1. Does this policy cover congenital, hereditary, hip-related, dental and behavioral conditions?
2. Is there a time or monetary limit on how long this policy will cover ongoing conditions for?
3. If I claim, will my premium increase?
Unlike other forms of insurance it is not easy to switch pet insurance in the future as any pre-existing
conditions your pet has are likely to be excluded so it’s important to do your research and choose the
right cover from the start.