By MASAHIKO OHTA/ Staff Writer
June 1, 2022 at 18:28 JST
Veterinarians implant microchips in puppies and kittens in Kamisato, Saitama Prefecture, in 2021. (Asahi Shimbun file photo)
Pet sellers in Japan are now required to implant electronic microchips in dogs and cats as a revision to a law on animal welfare and management took effect on June 1.
The aim is to stop owners from abandoning their pets and help identify owners at times of disasters.
The cylindrical chip is about 10 millimeters long and 2 mm in diameter. It is generally implanted near the necks of dogs and cats by using a syringe-like device.
The chip contains a 15-digit ID that can be scanned using special devices and checked against a database the Environment Ministry will maintain to identify the owner’s information.
Veterinarians or veterinary nurses implant the microchips. The cost is from 3,000 yen ($23.18) to 10,000 yen.
The revised law obliges breeders, pet shops and other sellers to implant the chips in puppies and kittens for sale, as well as adult dogs and cats for breeding, to improve the breeding environment.
Penalties may be imposed for violations, such as administrative guidance and administrative punishment.
The law also mandates the owners' data be registered, such as their name, address and phone number, along with their pet’s data, such as breed and birthday, on the government’s database. When people purchase a puppy or kitten at a pet shop, they must register their information as the owner within 30 days.
Registering online costs 300 yen.
There will be no penalties for anyone in the public who bought a pet but did not register it, however.
Some people are concerned about health risks such as the pet shedding the chip or having it shift around in the animal’s body since sellers must implant microchips in hundreds of thousands of puppies and kittens when they are around 8 weeks old.
Some people also say the system is not practical if people don’t register their information as an owner upon purchasing the pet.
The law on animal welfare and management was revised in 2019, which had transitional measures, meaning enforcement was postponed.
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