Turkey Implements The Peliharaan Animal Chip Installation Rules, Derived On Jalan Didenda IDR 4 Million

Illustration of pets. (Unsplash/Oleksandr Chernobai)

JAKARTA - The time limit for installing microchips for pet owners to identify domestic cats, dogs and civets announced by the Turkish Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry in 2018 expired last year.

Referring to application data that began on January 1, 2021, a total of 950,813 pets recorded, including 543,846 cats, 406,951 dogs and 16 civets, have been identified and registered throughout Turkey.

Starting December 31, 2022, those who do not put microchips on their pets will be fined 3,469 Turkish lira or around Rp2,829,961.

Meanwhile, those who leave their pets on the road after chip installation will be fined with an administrative fine of 6,072 Turkish lira or around Rp. 4,953,452

Chip installation costs vary. At private veterinary clinics, these costs start from 300 Turkish lira or around Rp244,735. However, there is an easier way to do that. Pet owners can perform this procedure at the directorate of agriculture and forestry of the city where they live. It costs 75 Turkish lira or around Rp61,183.

Residents who have pets continue to register their cats and dogs on the PetVet Registration System (PETCHET), with microchips and identification processes implemented by the Provincial and City Agriculture and Forestry Directorate, as well as entrepreneurs.

With the PETVET system, passports are issued for pets to prevent animals from being dumped onto the streets, find stolen animals, and monitor and control the population of pets and animal diseases.

Many pet owners leave their pets on the street to circumvent this regulation. Arzu Erdo Saryral, president of the Association for Animal Life Contribution and Protection (HAYKADER) stated that animal owners are not allowed to leave animals on the road to avoid chipping, saying the animal becomes helpless when abandoned.

"throwing an animal out is the highest form of violation, because the animal is used to its owner and doesn't know how to survive. I wouldn't overestimate it if I said 'it's impossible for pets to live on.'" ErdoENTal said as reported by Daily Sabah on January 3.

Furthermore, it emphasizes, making the adoption of pets difficult and punishments must be applied to those who leave their pets.

"Therefore, the chip installation period must be extended so that people do not commit this crime," he said