Spalding woman going above and beyond to keep Lincolnshire pets safe with mobile microchipping service

With thousands of pets lost each year, a passionate animal lover is urging owners to register their pet’s microchips correctly.

For Tracy Goodliff, of Spalding, a typical day at the MicroPet Mobile Microchipping Service features lots of furry friends and waggy tails.

With a passion to take the stress off anxious animals who hate going to the vets, Tracy travels across Lincolnshire to deliver appointments to clients at home.

Some of the services she offers include microchipping, dog grooming, pet sitting and emmipet teeth – which is an ultrasonic toothbrush used to clean the inside of dogs and cats mouths.

Tracy, who has an awkward dog herself, said: “I understand how hard it can be to get them to the vets and I want to help others.

“It takes the stress off the owner of taking them to the vets and animals are a lot more settled in their own environment.”

Since she started working at MicroPet in April, Tracy noticed a pattern with clients she visited for micro chipping, after individuals were forgetting to register the chip onto a DEFRA (UK's Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs) approved website.

Many veterinary practices will do this automatically, however as this mobile service is private, it is the responsibility of the owner.

“I’m always encouraging people to get their cats and dogs microchipped but lots of people forget to register the microchip once the pet has had it done”, Tracy added.

“If you don’t register the chip the animal will just have an expensive bit of grain sitting in the back of their neck, and if it gets lost the pet would not be found – even though it has a microchip.

“Its the hardest thing to get across to owners, so I started doing it myself as its peace of mind for me.

“There are also a lot of websites which aren’t DEFRA approved which people need to look out for.”

The UK Government set a new legislation last year introducing mandatory cat microchipping, which was put in place to ensure lost or stray pets could be reunited with their owners.

Prior to the new law, the Government reported there were more than nine million pet cats in England – with as many as 2.3 million unchipped.

As part of the legislation owners who haven’t microchipped their cat are given 21 days to have one implanted, or may face a fine of up to £500.

One of the microchip databases which is Government approved is Pet Log.

A spokesperson for the RSPCA said: “Microchipping is the best way to make sure that should they become lost, stolen, or injured, your pet can more easily be reunited with you.

“Many pets can be microchipped, including cats, dogs, rabbits and horses.

“Sadly thousands of pets are lost every year and many are never reunited with their owners.

“Microchipping your pet gives them the best chance of being identified and returned to you if they get lost or stolen. While collars and tags can get caught or removed, microchipping identifies your pet permanently and effectively.

“You can find out more about microchipping by visiting this page on our website.”

After joining the MicroPet team in April, Tracy was offered the chance to own the franchise in October and is now the face behind it all.