Shenzhen dogs get a brush with technology and an e-identity

Shenzhen recently launched a pet dog identification chip-implantation project under which all pet dogs in the city in Guangdong province would get identification chips implanted by October 1.

Pet dogs lacking such chips after October will be treated as dogs without a pet registration certificate and be dealt with according to the law.

The chip will contain a 15-digit international unique digital code mentioning the dog's breed and name and detailed information about its owner, including name and contact information.

According to a veterinarian, the chips, each the size of a grain, will be implanted into the subcutaneous tissue of the dogs' necks, causing little harm. Each chip will last more than 15 years, roughly covering the lifetime of a majority of pet dog breeds.

Shenzhen authorities said they will provide the implantation service for free and plan to cover all registered pet dogs in the city.

The chips, which are like a carry-on identification card, could bring multiple benefits to the dogs, their owners, administration authorities and the public.

Such a registration system will help the authorities improve their management of pet dogs in the city. It will also make it easier to track lost dogs; while Shenzhen's dograising management system can easily identify them through the chips, the authorities can read the chips to find the dogs' owners. This will effectively bring to an end cases of dogs being abandoned.

In addition, where there are disputes involving dogs, the chips will help find the rightful owners.

The idea is to better manage pet dogs so there are fewer conflicts between pet owners and other people; as well as between pet owners and the authorities.

Other cities could learn from Shenzhen's move to deal with dog-raising issues using advanced technology to safeguard the rights and interests of both pets and humans.