Microchipping rules clarified by Defra
Defra has clarified that any foal born before 1 July that does not already have a passport will need microchipping, under the new passport regulations imposed on 1 August.
H&H has received a number of queries from breeders wanting to know whether the regulations apply to foals born in 2009 before 1 July, as the legislation was unclear.
Jane Howells, a sport horse breeder from Chester, said the wording on Defra’s website changed overnight about 10 days ago from “all foals born” after 1 July 2009 must have a microchip implanted by a vet when first identified to “all foals” must have a microchip when first identified.
“It has cost me two vet call outs — I had the passports and identification done for three foals but hadn’t sent them off until recently,” she said.
“Because I submitted my applications after 1 July, they have been sent back as the foals have to be microchipped.”
A spokesman for Defra said foals born and passported before 30 June do not need to be microchipped, but that “all other equidea will need a chip when identified after that date”.
H&H also received enquiries about the possibility of carrying photocopies of a horse’s passport rather than the original. But the spokesman said a photocopy is insufficient.
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He explained: “This is to prevent fraudulent abuse of the regulations, where different riders could carry photocopies of the same passport.”
This article was first published in Horse & Hound (20 August, ’09)
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A self-confessed newshound, farmer’s daughter and journalist of many years' experience, Charlotte worked on regional papers before joining H&H in 2007. A regular rider, she visited Ireland in 2010 to investigate the fate of Irish horses through the recession, to much acclaim, and reported from the FEI General Assembly in Rio de Janeiro in 2011. She left Horse & Hound in March 2013.