Watch extra of our movies on Shots!
and stay on Freeview channel 276
From tenth June 2024, all cats in England must be microchipped by the point they attain 20 weeks of age, and their contact particulars saved and stored updated in a pet microchipping database. Any house owners discovered to not have microchipped their cat can have 21 days to have one implanted, or they might face a fantastic of as much as £500.
Latest figures from the PDSA Animal Wellbeing Report revealed that solely 54 per cent of cat house owners are conscious their cat have to be microchipped from June. The latest figures additionally recommend there are 2.4 million cats throughout England that aren’t microchipped.
Experienced vet, Tom Ward, from White Cross Vets, mentioned: “Every week we see cats that are lost or have been involved in accidents, and when they have a microchip, it makes it much easier to reunite them with their owners.
“Without a microchip, all too often cats end up in rehoming centres, which are often flooded with lost cats. Many of these were once beloved pets, but if they haven’t got a microchip, it can be difficult to find their owners, who are left wondering what happened to them. This legislation is therefore very good news for cats and it’s worth noting that the rules also apply to cats that live indoors.
“Microchips last a lifetime and our clinics are currently microchipping cats at a reduced price, or they’re free as part of our Complete Wellness Plan. They’re about the size of a grain of rice and are inserted under the skin in a quick process that takes just a few seconds.
“Each chip has a unique serial number and whenever a lost pet is brought into us, we can scan it and cross-reference it against a pet database to obtain the owner’s details. However, this also means it’s vital that owners remember to update their details if they move house or change their phone number.”
Tom added: “These new laws for cats follow similar legislation that was introduced in 2016 requiring all dogs to be microchipped and registered by the age of eight weeks. It’s made a positive difference to the country’s dog population, so it’s brilliant that cats will soon enjoy the same level of protection soon.”
White Cross Vets has been caring for pets for 85 years. Established in West Yorkshire in 1937 it now employs a 300 robust workforce throughout 21 practices within the UK.
