A MOBILE "chip shop" is to sell microchips to dog owners in and around Chester-le-Street.
The National Canine Defence League (NCDL) is to send a bus to Chester-le-Street and nearby villages next week, allowing people to microchip their dogs.
The chips help prevent stray dogs by inserting a microchip under the loose skin at the back of a dog's neck.
If they are lost or stolen, local dog wardens who pick them up can scan the ID number and then reunite the dog with its owner after checking the number against a national database. Last year, there were 118,000 strays in the UK.
According to the NCDL, microchipping costs about £20 to £30 when done by a vet, but the organisation will offer the service free to those receiving benefits, and £9.50 to others.
The bus will be at Holly Crescent, Sacriston, on Monday, from 10am to 4pm.
It will also be at Ouston Community Centre car park, in Primrose Crescent, Chester-le-Street, on Tuesday, from 10am to 4pm.
On Wednesday, the bus will visit the car park at Burnside Club, in Henry Terrace, Fencehouses, on Wednesday, from 10am to 4pm.
The NCDL will also be inside the Ark centre, in The Crescent, Chester-le-Street next Thursday, from 10am to 4pm.
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