Cat microchipping now mandatory
Cat owners need to make sure that their furry pet has been implanted with a microchip.
Starting today (June 10th), it is mandatory for all cat owners to have their feline companions microchipped. This is a newly implemented law that every cat owner must comply with.
Cat owners should make sure that their feline companion has a microchip implanted before they turn 20 weeks old. The microchip should contain the owners' contact information, which should be regularly updated in a pet microchipping database that has been approved.
There are over 9 million cats in England and making microchipping compulsory will make it simpler to reunite lost or stray cats with their owners. This identification method is already a requirement for dogs and has shown to be the most successful solution in finding lost pets. Dogs with a microchip are more than twice as likely to be reunited with their owner.
Implanting microchips in cats is a secure and effortless process, and it costs approximately £25 on average, including registration. If you receive aid from renowned cat rescue groups or charitable organizations, you may be able to chip your cat at a lower cost.
Microchipping is a procedure where a small chip, approximately as big as a piece of rice, is placed underneath a pet's skin. This chip comes with a distinct serial number that the pet owner must record on a database. In case the pet is lost, the microchip can be scanned, and the registered owner found on the database, paving the way for a speedy reunion with the pet.
If you have a cat, it needs to have a microchip before it turns 20 weeks old. You should also make sure that your contact information is recorded and regularly updated in a pet microchipping database, even if your cat normally stays inside.
It is not required to implant microchips in cats that roam freely and have little or no connection to people, like those that reside in farms, the wild, or groups of cats.
According to the legislation published in March 2023, owners now have an excess of one year to fulfill the new obligations before facing the legal deadline. If owners do not comply with the law, they may be penalized with a fine of a maximum of £500.
Posted on June 10th, 2024
