Chicago May Require Microchips

By Mickey Ciokajlo
Tribune staff reporter
Published July 24, 2006, 4:13 PM CDT


The City of Chicago would require owners to microchip their dogs under a proposal heard today before a City Council committee.

The provision would take effect 90 days after approval of the full City Council, which could occur as early as Wednesday, according to Ald. Eugene Schulter (47th), chairman of the Committee on License and Consumer Protection.

He said microchipping would make it easier to reunite lost dogs with their owners. For example, Schulter said many dogs were lost as a result of Hurricane Katrina and never reunited with their owners.

"If they get lost or if there's some type of problem we'll be able to know who the owners are by requiring the microchipping," he said.

Animal microchips, manufactured by three companies, are about the size of a grain of rice and are implanted in dogs below the scruff of the neck. The chips contain an identification number; an owners registry is maintained by each of the manufacturers.

But he said the proposed ordinance does not include a penalty for owners who fail to comply.

"Our task force felt, let's make the requirement right now and see how much compliance we have," he said. "At a later date, then we can get at the penalty part of it."

Schulter's committee did not vote on the proposal today, but he said he expected the committee to vote Wednesday before the City Council meeting.

The proposal is part of a package of dog-related ordinances that stem from an ad hoc committee Schulter convened about two years ago to address a number of pet-related issues, including irresponsible owners and dog-bite prevention.

Other new provisions include new licensing categories for animal grooming facilities, guard dog services and pet day-care facilities. Also included is a new ordinance that sets guidelines for tethering dogs, including setting a time limit of three hours and mandating access to food, water and appropriate shelter.