HE'S called Wile E Coyote and the canine certainly lived up to his name this week during a visit to be fitted with an identification microchip at a Blackpool pet shop.

Staff at North West Discount Pet Foods on Burton Road didn't know that the two-year-old mongrel was to have one or two cunning tricks up his sleeve -- including a wriggling act that would put Houdini in the shade.

Wile, pictured here with store owner Steve Sharp, managed to scramble from the clutch of four assistants after five attempts at being chipped.

And in his bid to escape the needle he managed to foil the vet, causing him to stab his own hand -- and almost micro-chipping himself. Steve Sharpe said Wile was the first dog who they had not been able to chip.

"He is a lovely dog," said Steve. "It was incredible how he managed to flick himself up and out of our hands and, although he did his utmost to avoid the needle, he never once tried to bite."

North West Discount Pet Foods offer the dog microchipping service, used for the new pet passport scheme and for identification purposes for £30.

If you want your pet chipping, there is another session at the store on Friday June 30, in the afternoon.