ANIMAL lovers are encouraged to get their dogs micro-chipped at Halton Council events across Halton.

The PDSA, the UK’s leading veterinary charity, will be offering free health checks for dogs at Heath Park, Park Road, Runcorn, tomorrow,  and Victoria Park, Widnes, on Tuesday, August 21, both from 10am to 4pm.

A micro-chip about the size of a grain of rice, can be quickly implanted and carries a unique number that is recorded on a national database.

A dog must be at least 12 weeks old before it can be ‘chipped’ and accompanied by a responsible adult.

Micro-chipping helps reunite you with your dog if it escapes.

Dogs that have been micro-chipped and are found to be straying will, on the first occasion, be returned to their owner by the dog warden.