TIVERTON MP Neil Parish has pledged his support to a campaign to help save thousands of dogs in the UK through microchipping.

Over 8,000 dogs euthan-ised each year because their owners cannot be found could be saved if dog owners ‘Chip it, Check it.’ The organisation, the UK’s largest dedicated to dog welfare, says by micro-chipping dogs and keeping personal details up to date thousands of otherwise doomed animals could be identified and reunited with their owners instead of facing possible destruction in the dog pound.

Mr Parish highlighted the importance of micro-chipping and checking contact details are up to date as part of the Kennel Club’s National Microchip-ping Month during an event in Old Palace Yard, Westminster.

The event launched the new ‘Chip it, Check it’ education campaign to tell the public about the change in the law from April, 2016, and was supported by MPs and animal welfare organisations.

Mr Parish, who is also chairman of the Associate Parliamentary Group on Animal Welfare, said: “In the countdown to compulsory microchipping Nat-ional Microchipping Month is an ideal reminder for local people to ‘Chip it, Check it’ – to get their dogs microchipped or, if already chipped, check that their contact details are up to date on the microchip database.”