Nearly 1,000 dogs have been micro-chipped for free across Tendring during the past year.

Tendring District Council’s Dog Wardens have been supported by Community Wardens in staging special surgeries all over the District – and there are more to come.

The initiative has only been possible thanks to the Dogs Trust providing the chips free of charge and owners have lapped up the opportunity.

At the latest session at Clacton Town Hall yesterday 50 pets were chipped over a six hour period.

One of those to turn up was Kelly Duffett from Clacton with her 12-week-old Irish Blue Staffy, Diesel.

She was keen to get him chipped as soon as possible and was grateful not to have to pay to do so.

“With all the other bills that come around – especially at this time of the year – it is a real help to save on the cost of having Diesel micro-chipped,” she said.

The next free surgery is at Brightlingsea Council Offices on November 27 from 9.30am to 3.30pm.

All pooches will need to be micro-chipped by 2016 and chipping normally costs around £30 to £40.

Nick Turner, TDC’s Cabinet Member for Environment and Coast Protection, said: “We are very grateful for the support we have received from the Dogs Trust which has helped to us to get so many dogs chipped around the District.”