Microchipping Law in Malaysia

[pohchunyee]

Dear All,
Recently Malaysian Department of Wildlife and Nature Parks has implemented that chameleons to be microchipped. This news pretty much becoming a nightmare to all chameleons keeper in Malaysia. The law includes chameleons of all sizes as well as other reptiles regardless of their size.

I brought my chameleons to the department of wildlife and show them how tiny they are and the microchip will pretty much kill them. Their response was, this is now the law, if you don't microchip your animals, we have the right to confiscate your animal. I might lose all my collection as well as my business.

I am working with my lawyer for possible animal cruelty case against this new microchipping law and I would need any help I can in regards to this.

Would someone who are well versed in Chameleons/ Vets and had published noticeable books/ studies/ journals to help me fight this new law? Maybe some form of letter, or provide any publish on journals to support me to fight against this new microchipping law?

Thank you in advance!

 

[Chris Anderson]

What is it about microchipping that you think is cruel or not feasible? I understand that its an inconvenience, an added expense, and like anything, a potential risk, but it is completely possible to do, even on small animals, safely. You can get PIT tags that are only 7mm x 1.35mm in dimensions and weigh only 30mg (http://www.loligosystems.com/?action=shop_show&varenr=AB10320), and its possible that even smaller are available (I'm not up to date on the latest technologies in this regard). Do they have an age at which hatchlings must be implanted?

Chris

 

[ridgebax1]

I agree with Chris, this is not cruel and may be intended to keep owners and breeders accountable for their pets and prevent them from being released into the wild should the owner decide keeping it is too much trouble. The microchip in my dog (and he weighs about 36K) would not be too big for either of the chams I had once they reached about 6 mos old.

 

[pohchunyee]

For me i think is cruel to the animal as we are requested to use the normal dog microchip on the chameleon which is bigger in size (12mm). All comes to the questions, are they well trained enough to perform such tasks, will there be any issues? They were suggesting to tag the chameleon on their thigh (hind limb). I am willing to pay for the smaller tags if this is the requirement but they only have 1 size available and we must buy the tags issue by the Wildlife department. We are trying to talk to them to only tag adults as they are well developed, but they are suggesting to tags even newborn/hatchlings. This will increase the cost of the animals, animal will need to be sold at higher price.

 

[OldChamKeeper]

Even I can say that tagging hatchlings will result in problems.

What age is it written in the law the animals need to be tagged at? if there is no such age written in the law then it's all subjective to the individual who is trying to enforce it. That's the first bone you have to pick with the lawyers.

I'd take the approach that if the animal dies due to the chip that I'd sue the individual who inserted it. Going after the people who on the front line do the work tends to get revisions made in most laws.

That is unless of course they don't give a crap and you have no legal recourse.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

I actually think this is a good thing for slowing the smuggling of chameleons to Asia. However the issue of micro chipping a chameleon that is too small surprises me. There are other species of Farmed Wildlife (Asian Arowana's since 1994) that CITES officials have a long history micro chipping at a certain age. Having prior experience micro chipping I am surprised that they are attempting to micro chip chameleons when they are too small.

Asian Arowana's (Scleropages formosus) similar to chameleons require more habitat conservation.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich

 

[pohchunyee]

For Arowana, it falls under the department of fisheries. They are smarter. Even with that we can still find millions of untag Arowana locally.

Chameleons are under department of wildlife and nature parks. I am trying to fight to get the microchipping law on chameleons removed. There are less invasive ways. I imported some 3 months old veiled 2 weeks ago, the wildlife department came to the airport armed with microchip trying to insert into the chameleon. From what I see, they are reusing the inserter, i freak out and asked them to sign and acknowledge that they will be responsible and pay me based on market price for any chameleons they kill in the process. Luckily they back off!

Microchipping will not stop smuggling, as the law only pertaining to the animal being kept in Malaysia and not in Asia. Everyone was thinking, Thailand is the main hub to where smuggler will send their animals to Asia??? You are totally wrong, nowadays, my country is the one. Most things come into Malaysia, repack and ship internationally.

 

[Motherlode Chameleon]

For Arowana, it falls under the department of fisheries. They are smarter. Even with that we can still find millions of untag Arowana locally.

Chameleons are under department of wildlife and nature parks. I am trying to fight to get the microchipping law on chameleons removed. There are less invasive ways. I imported some 3 months old veiled 2 weeks ago, the wildlife department came to the airport armed with microchip trying to insert into the chameleon. From what I see, they are reusing the inserter, i freak out and asked them to sign and acknowledge that they will be responsible and pay me based on market price for any chameleons they kill in the process. Luckily they back off!

Microchipping will not stop smuggling, as the law only pertaining to the animal being kept in Malaysia and not in Asia. Everyone was thinking, Thailand is the main hub to where smuggler will send their animals to Asia??? You are totally wrong, nowadays, my country is the one. Most things come into Malaysia, repack and ship internationally.

Micro chipping may not stop smuggling 100%. However micro chipping is a much needed start to regulation and management of the legal and illegal wildlife trade that is going on in Malaysia/Southeast Asia. I am absolutely for that especially if you want your natural wildlife/resources to last.

If one species did not require micro chipping Veiled Chameleons (Chamaeleo calyptratus) are probably the one species that would not require micro chipping to monitor trade. They are extremely available and prolific in the trade as is and not threatened in the wild.

Best Regards
Jeremy A. Rich