Dog owners are being reminded to make sure pets’ microchip details are up to date as the latest figures reveal 95% of UK dogs are now fitted with a chip, meaning they can be reunited with their families if they are lost or stolen.

One year on from the introduction of compulsory microchipping, statistics from the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) show the number of dogs fitted with a microchip has increased by more than 60% in four years.

Thousands of dogs have been reunited with their owners and according to the Dogs Trust’s annual survey, the number of stray dogs fell last year by 21% to its lowest level since the survey began. However, it is vital that owners make sure the microchip details are kept up to date so they can be easily contacted if their pet is lost or stolen.

Owners can update their information easily online or over the phone, and advice on updating details can be found on GOV.UK at https://www.gov.uk/get-your-dog-microchipped