31 May 2024
New rules will come into force in England next month and cat owners are being encouraged to get their pets chipped before the deadline.
Allister Webb
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Image © Mari / Adobe Stock
Veterinary and welfare sector leaders have urged pet owners to ensure their cats are microchipped before new rules come into force in England.
Officials have also sought to play down concerns from some campaigners that the owners of lost cats may have fewer rights than those of missing dogs once the legislation is enforced.
From 10 June, it will be a legal requirement for cats to be microchipped before they are 20 weeks old, with fines for non-compliance.
Owners are being encouraged to contact their vets as soon as possible to arrange microchipping appointments in a campaign led by the UK’s CVO, Christine Middlemiss.
She said: “Microchipping is by far the most effective and quickest way of identifying lost pets.
“As we’ve seen with dog microchipping, those who are microchipped are more than twice as likely to be reunited with their owner.”
BVA president Anna Judson added: “With the deadline for compulsory microchipping fast approaching, we urge owners with unchipped cats to make an appointment with their practice today.
“If you have any concerns or are unsure if your cat needs to be chipped, please speak to your vet.”
The plea for action is also being endorsed by leading charities such as Battersea, which estimated that more than two- thirds of the cats brought to its centres last year were not microchipped.
Head of policy and public affairs Michael Webb said: “It’s a simple and painless procedure, and an up-to-date microchip is the easiest way for missing pets to be reunited with their worried owners.”
RSPCA cat welfare expert Alice Potter said stories of cats being united with owners even years or decades after they went missing showed the potential impact of the welfare rules.
Cats Protection’s head of advocacy, campaigns and government relations Madison Rogers added: “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 they can be swiftly returned home.”
But despite widespread support for the new rules and calls for similar measures to be introduced to other parts of the UK, some campaigners remain uneasy that the owners of lost cats may not enjoy the same rights as those of missing dogs.
The Tuks Law group has questioned whether Defra will impose the same seven-day claim period for stray cat owners to reclaim them before they are registered for rehoming and euthanasia, as already exists for dogs, and whether local authorities will be required to develop similar holding facilities for cats.
Defra officials admit no such statutory requirement relating to cats exists, but say they expect major rehoming organisations to treat stray cats and dogs in the same way.
