IT was a good day for animal lovers who got their four-legged friends microchipped for free at Mundaring Pound.
The recent service was provided courtesy of four rangers training to become “authorised implanters” at Central Regional Tafe’s Northam campus.
Rangers were required to put microchips into 15 animals, including five cats and five dogs, under the supervision of a registered veterinarian.
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READ NOWMundaring Shire President John Daw said the training, which had been in place since 2013, was run two to four times a year depending on demand.
“Microchips are a permanent method of electronic identification and are more reliable than collars which can easily fall off,” he said.
“Under the Cat Act 2011 and Dog Act 1976 it is a legal requirement to have your cat and dog microchipped, and these training sessions offer an excellent opportunity for community members to do so at no charge.”
Tafe animal studies lecturer Sharleen Jordan said the training had been mutually beneficial for her students and the community.
“It is hard to find enough animals for the rangers to microchip, so we offer it to the public,” she said.
“It has been a great arrangement so far, benefitting both the rangers in their training and the public who get their animals micro-chipped for free.”
Of the 33 animals micro-chipped under John Tyrrell’s supervision, one patient stood out among the rest; a sulphur crested cockatoo named Lady.
Ms Jordan said animals commonly micro-chipped as part of the training included cats, dogs, snakes, rabbits, ferrets and, increasingly, birds.
The next free microchipping service at Mundaring Pound is scheduled for March.
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