Federation Supports Bids To Scrap Chipping

29 March 2006

Federation Supports Bids To Scrap Chipping

Federated Farmers is calling on MPs from all parties to support new efforts in Parliament to scrap microchipping of working dogs, said Charlie Pedersen, President of Federated Famers of New Zealand (Inc).

“Two political parties (National and United Future) have put forward legislative solutions that could give an exemption to working dogs from the microchipping rules of the Dog Control Amendment Act,” said Mr Pedersen.

“We applaud these initiatives and ask other parties – in particular Act, New Zealand First, and the Maori Party – to back these efforts.

“The Federation will be contacting these parties this week to seek their support for an exemption for working dogs, which pose no danger to the general public. We hope that these parties will give their backing but we do not assume that to be the case,” said Mr Pedersen.

“It is pleasing that some political parties have realised the idiocy of implanting a microchip in farm dogs. Microchipping will not stop dog attacks but result in higher numbers of dog owners not registering their dogs,” Mr Pedersen said.

“Some critics of our stance argue that rural dogs cannot be distinguished from non-working dogs.

“But working dogs have for 10 years been distinguishable from urban dogs under the Dog Control Act 1996.

“The Act says that a working dog is any dog ‘kept solely or principally for the purposes of herding or driving stock’ – simple, eh?

“Federated Farmers will support any efforts to gain an exemption for working dogs because microchipping is an example of the worst legislation – costs imposed without any benefit,” Mr Pedersen said .

ENDS

© Scoop Media