Farmers oppose microchipping

South Canterbury farmers want their national organisation to tackle the Government head-on, and issue a directive to farmers to ignore the microchipping of dogs law that comes into effect on July 1.

"Farmers are sick and tired of forever being told what they can and have to do. It is time for some militant action," South Canterbury Federated Farmers meat and fibre producers chairman Alistair Young said yesterday.

(...) "Micro-chipping is an added cost that is unnecessary. There is no evidence that any serious dog attacks on humans have ever been done by a farm dog.

"Our main gripe is the dogs that are causing the problem generally are not registered anyway and they do not come off farms."

Micro-chipping is estimated to cost between $50 to $110 per dog and for a litter of working dogs can cost between $500 and $600 of which only one could prove to be any use on the farm, he said.

MORE>>