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Dog licences are to be scrapped on the Isle of Man in favour of mandatory micro-chipping, said the government.

The law change, which comes into force on 1 April, brings an end to an annual licence fee which costs up to £20.

Under the new rules, all dogs of eight weeks or older must be chipped by a "suitably qualified person".

Manx Environment Minister Geoffrey Boot said the changes would reduce the cost of dog ownership on the island by about £200 over a pet's lifetime.

Compulsory micro-chipping for all pets was introduced in the UK two years ago.

It is a one-off procedure that sees a small electronic chip, about the size of a grain of rice, implanted under a dog's skin.

Each chip carries a unique code, which can be read by a scanner, giving information about a dog's registered owner.

The Royal College of Veterinary Surgeons told the ³ÉÈË¿ìÊÖ that the cost of micro-chipping is "not standardised" in the British Isles, which means veterinary practices are free to charge their own fee.

A spokesman added that the price should "reflect the amount of work needed for the procedure, something which can vary from animal to animal".

The Manx government said there will be a six-month "lead-in period" after which non-compliant owners can be fined £500.

Unlike the current licensing system, there will be no exemptions for working dogs.