A Cumbrian man has been left with a £398 court bill after failing to microchip his dog.
John Bowman, of Lakeland View, Penrith, was found guilty in his absence by Carlisle magistrates.
The dog, a black terrier, was handed in as a stray in August 2024.
When scanned by a council officer it was found that the dog did not have a microchip, although it is a legal requirement.
Mr Bowman received a notice to get his dog microchipped within 21 days, but did not comply.
This led to his prosecution for the offence of failing to have his dog microchipped.
A council spokesman said, “Dog owners have a responsibility to comply with the law. They must ensure when they acquire a dog, whether it is a puppy from a breeder, or an older rescue dog, that it is microchipped and the details on the microchip are up to date.
“The reason that dog owners are required to do this by law is that when a dog is picked up as a stray, the microchip can quickly identify and reunite it with its owner, often with reduced, or no costs.
“Dogs with an unknown owner usually end up being rehomed via rescue organisations, which are often overrun with dogs needing a home.
“As a result, dogs can end up waiting longer for a place in a rescue organisation, requiring more public funds.
“There are also people who use dogs for illegal purposes, such as hare coursing, or badger baiting.
“These people deliberately fail to microchip their dogs so that if they run away, their ownership of the dog and connection to the wildlife crime is harder to prove.”
