DOG owners across the North-East are being urged to update their canine’s microchip or risk losing their beloved pet forever.

New figures released by the Dog’s Trust reveal that five per cent of the 2,880 unclaimed dogs in the region will never find their way home, and could even face destruction, simply because forgetful owners haven’t updated their microchip details.

With 257 of the region’s unclaimed dogs put to sleep by local authorities last year, the figures from the charity’s annual Stray Dog Survey are being used to remind owners to keep microchip details updated.

But whilst there is still work to be done when it comes to educating dog owners about the importance of compulsory microchipping, the stray figures for the North-East are largely positive.

They reveal a 14 per cent fall in the number of stray and abandoned dogs handled by councils in the region between 2015 and 2016.

The figures show 6,416 dogs were handled by local councils in the region, compared to 7,457 dogs during 2014 to 2015.

Across the North-East the number of strays that were reunited with their owners remains in line with last year, with 3,536 dogs reunited with their owners - 919 as a direct result of microchips.

Denise Kelly, Dogs Trust North of England campaigns manager, said it was “shocking” to learn that five per cent of the unclaimed dogs in the North-East are actually much-loved family pets.

She said: “It’s heart-breaking that these lost dogs will never find their way home, as it’s something which could so easily have been avoided with a bit of forward planning.”

Ms Kelly added: “Stray dogs that find themselves at Dogs Trust are the lucky ones, as we will never put a healthy dog to sleep, but not all of the unclaimed dogs are so fortunate.”

The microchipping of dogs became law on April 6, 2016.