Question to the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs:

To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what estimate his Department has made of the number of healthy dogs that are euthanised each year in the UK; and if he will bring forward legislative proposals to legally require vets to scan for rescue back up contact details on microchips and confirm the person presenting the animal is registered on the microchip prior to euthanising a healthy or treatable animal.

The Department does not hold data on the number of dogs euthanised each year.

We committed in the Action Plan for Animal Welfare to seek greater assurance that alternatives to euthanasia are explored before a healthy dog is put down.

In 2021, we worked closely with the veterinary profession to develop an approach that works for all parties. Following these discussions, the Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons agreed to incorporate the principle of scanning before euthanasia into the guidance that underpins their Code of Professional Conduct, which applies to all veterinary surgeons practising in the UK.

The Code requires veterinary surgeons to scan for a microchip in dogs prior to euthanasia where, in their professional judgement, it is not necessary to put the dog down on animal health or welfare grounds.

In addition, we recently held a consultation on proposed changes to the Microchipping of Dogs (England) Regulations 2015 to consider whether a microchip database record should include a ‘back-up support’ field to record the contact details of a person who may offer the animal an alternative to euthanasia in certain circumstances. We are currently analysing the consultation responses and will issue our response to the consultation later this year.