All dog owners and keepers in England will be legally obliged to have their pet microchipped when a new law is introduced next year.

From April 6, 2016 any owner or keeper whose dog is not chipped could face a fine of £500 if they fail to act when warned.

Here are some important things to know before the law comes into force:

• A dog must be chipped and registered on an approved database before they hit the age of two months old.
• It does not matter if a person is not the owner – the law applies to the dog's "keeper".
• Keepers found not to have had their dog chipped will be issued a warning and they will have 21 days to act. Fines of £500 can be dished out to those who fail to do so.
• The law will be enforced by local authorities such as councils, plus police and PCSOs. Other persons may also be given permission to enforce the law – for example, RSPCA officers may be authorised.
• A dog microchip is about the size of a grain of rice. Having your dog chipped is as simple as calling a vet and asking for assistance.

A full list of frequently asked questions can be found on the Petlog website here.