Finland aims to microchip all dogs in the country

The move is controversial although not because of fears that people would be next

Yesterday, Finland’s new digital dog registry started operating following four months of delay and some controversy among pet owners in the country. The system in question is largely seen as the first step to an upcoming obligation to have all pooches fitted with a microchip, which will carry data about ownership and health history.

According to Yle news agency, Finland has about 800,000 dogs and the idea is to have every single one of them registered by the end of the year. For the time being, this is done on a voluntary basis by the owners and no penalties have been announced, though the requirement states that dogs must have an ID tag in order to be registered online.

The aim is to improve animal welfare

The overall purpose of keeping a close tally of all canine residents of Finland is that it will improve their healthcare and well-being, plus it will hamper theft and trafficking.

"First the dogs will be registered and then the same register will be used to report diseases and measures that affect breeding," explained Kirsi Vehkakoski from the Finnish Food Authority, the institution running the system.

Nevertheless, according to media sources, the grace period will end next year and then owners will probably face penalties for not registering their four-legged companions. That sense of obligation has caused some uproar and sense of frustration because many of the responsible owners have registered their pets with the Finnish Kennel Club.

Microchipping itself won’t be a ground-breaking move since about half a million of the country’s dogs are already sporting such a device, which has been injected by their veterinarian. New puppies will have to be chipped before being sold or gifted to their new owners.