Owners of cats in England have been warned that they could face a fine of up to £500 if their pets are not microchipped before reaching the age of 20 weeks. A new law was introduced in
Parliament requiring all pets to be microchipped, with the aim of making it easier to track down lost or stray pets. The legislation, which comes into effect from June 2024, has been welcomed by Cats Protection, a charity that has been calling for mandatory microchipping since 2016. The organisation said that it regularly reunites owners with their much-loved cats, and that in most cases, this is only possible thanks to microchips.
The compulsory microchipping of dogs came into effect in April 2016, and it is estimated that there are over nine million pet cats in England, with as many as 2.3 million unchipped. The new law means that owners must have their cats microchipped by June 10 2024. If an owner is found not to have microchipped their cat, they will have 21 days to have one implanted, or they face a fine of up to £500.
Speaking about the new rule, Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said that cats and kittens are treasured members of the family, and it can be devastating for owners when they are lost or stolen. She added that legislating for compulsory microchipping of cats will give comfort to families by increasing the likelihood that lost or stray pets can be reunited with their owners.
Chief Veterinary Officer Christine Middlemiss said that microchipping is by far the most effective and quickest way of identifying lost pets. She added that those who are microchipped are more than twice as likely to be reunited with their owner. By getting their cat microchipped, owners can increase the likelihood that they will be reunited with their beloved pet in the event of it going missing.
The new rule will not be compulsory for free-living cats, such as those that live with little or no human interaction or dependency, such as farm, feral or community cats. The move has been welcomed by Cats Protection, which said that it is only possible to reunite lost cats with their owners thanks to microchips. Madison Rogers, of Cats Protection, said that no matter how far from home they are found, or how long they have been missing, if a cat has a microchip, there is a good chance that a lost cat will be swiftly returned home.
In conclusion, the introduction of compulsory cat microchipping legislation is a welcome move for cat owners in England. The new rule will make it easier to track down lost or stray pets, increasing the likelihood that they can be reunited with their owners. With millions of cats set to be implanted with the small electronic device by June 2024, the legislation has been widely welcomed by cat rescue and welfare charities such as Cats Protection. Photo by Alvesgaspar, Wikimedia commons.