Treasured pets now safer as microchipping for cats becomes compulsory

• Federal government delivers on important manifesto pledge to introduce obligatory microchipping for all owned cats
• Proprietors will have right up until 10 June 2024 to microchip their cat
• Microchipping cats will assistance reunite thousands of shed or stray pets just about every 12 months

New legislation to introduce compulsory cat microchipping is getting laid in Parliament these days (13 March), making it less difficult for dropped or stray pet cats to be reunited with their proprietors and returned property safely.

There are around 9 million pet cats in England, with as a lot of as 2.3 million unchipped, which means that it would be incredibly challenging to reunite them with their owner if they get missing or stolen.

The new microchipping guidelines follow a Authorities phone for evidence and session on the situation in which 99{530e870c018efe4faeaf1650f5521f73bbd950ecc9f753be09e2bfdaa8245e82} of respondents expressed help for the measure. The introduction of compulsory cat microchipping was a manifesto dedication and an Motion Prepare for Animal Welfare pledge.

The new regulations mean cats ought to be implanted with a microchip prior to they get to the age of 20 weeks and their get hold of facts saved and retained up to date in a pet microchipping database. All owners have to have their cat microchipped by 10 June 2024 and homeowners located not to have microchipped their cat will have 21 times to have a single implanted, or might face a good of up to £500.

Natural environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey explained:

“Cats and kittens are treasured customers of the household, and it can be devasting for entrepreneurs when they are shed or stolen.

“Legislating for compulsory microchipping of cats will give convenience to people by expanding the likelihood that lost or stray animals can be reunited with their homeowners.”

Main Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss reported:

“I am delighted that we are progressing with our prerequisite for all cats to be microchipped.

“Microchipping is by considerably the most productive and quickest way of identifying missing animals. As we have found with dog microchipping, all those who are microchipped are extra than 2 times as most likely to be reunited with their operator.

“By having their cat microchipped, proprietors can maximize the probability that they will be reunited with their beloved pet in the party of it going lacking.”

Cats Protection’s Head of Advocacy, Strategies & Federal government Relations, Madison Rogers, claimed:

“Cats Protection is delighted that pet cats in England will be specified the very same defense as canines when it comes to microchipping. The charity on a regular basis reunites owners with their substantially-loved cats, and in most circumstances this is only probable many thanks to microchips. No subject how much from home they are observed, or how very long they have been lacking, if a cat has a microchip there is a fantastic prospect that a misplaced cat will be swiftly returned dwelling.”

The course of action of microchipping involves the insertion of a chip, usually all over the dimension of a grain of rice, less than the pores and skin of a pet. The microchip has a exclusive serial amount that the keeper desires to sign-up on a database. When an animal is observed, the microchip can be browse with a scanner and the registered keeper identified on a database so the pet can swiftly be reunited with them.

It will not be compulsory for no cost residing cats that live with minor or no human interaction or dependency, these types of as farm, feral or group cats.

Owners with cats that are now microchipped must be certain their aspects are up to day.

The commitment to microchipping is section of a wider Governing administration exertion to develop on our existing globe-primary criteria. Due to the fact publishing the Action Approach for Animal Welfare in 2021: we have brought in new guidelines to recognise animals sentience, introduced more durable penalties for animal cruelty offences and brought forward a ban on glue traps.

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