DOG owners are being urged to get their pets microchipped at a roadshow visiting the Chester-le-Street area next week.

The National Canine Defence League (NCDL) is giving the service free to pensioners and people on benefit and charging the subsidised rate of £9.50 to other owners.

Training and behaviour advisor David Fish will be talking about all aspects of dog behaviour at Garden Farm shops in Chester-le-Street on Wednesday, August 14.

Denise Gilgallon, NCDL campaign manager for the North-East, said: "Our annual stray dog survey with Mori shows that last year local authorities in the North-East took in 9,300 stray and abandoned dogs - that's one stray for every 324 people.

"Only seven per cent of these dogs were successfully identified and reunited with their owners immediately.

"Many of the strays taken in are simply dogs who have got lost, but if they have no identity tag or microchip it is almost impossible for the dog wardens to trace their owner.

"We are urging all dog owners in the Chester-le-Street area to take advantage of this offer and make sure their dog always has his identity tag on and is microchipped.

"Then in the event he gets lost, he can be easily identified and returned quickly and safely to his owner.''

Roadshow dates: Friday, August 9, Ouston WMC car park, Brecon Place, Perkinsville, 10am-4pm; Saturday, Waldridge Fell car park, Waldridge Road, Waldridge, 10am-2pm; Tuesday, Pelton Community Centre car park, Ivy Way, Pelton, 10am-4pm; Wednesday, Garden Farm shops car park, Carlingford Road, Chester-le-Street (training and behaviour day with David Fish), 1pm-7pm; Thursday, August 15, Pine Street car park, Grange Villa, 10am-4pm; Friday August 16, Community Centre car park, Front Street, Nettlesworth, 10am-4pm; Saturday August 17, Civic Centre car park, Newcastle Road, Chester-le-Street, 10am-2pm.

Dog owners should take their dog along to their preferred day with proof of benefit (if applicable) or £9.50. The NCDL recommends all dogs, especially puppies, be fully vaccinated before attending the roadshow. Puppies under 12 weeks old will not be chipped unless the owner brings proof of the puppy's vaccines to the roadshow.