In response to the launch of a public consultation, the British
Veterinary Association (BVA) has said that any legislation around
compulsory microchipping of cats must be clear in its aims and
that enforcement must be properly resourced.
The Government has launched an eight-week consultation on
proposals for mandatory cat microchipping in England. In
addition, Defra will be consulting on three separate mandatory
scanning campaigns, including Tuk’s law and Fern’s law. BVA is
urging the government to carefully consider the pragmatic
implementation of any proposals and the unintended consequences
for animal health and welfare if vets have to police new
legislation.
Commenting, BVA Senior Vice President Daniella Dos Santos said:
“Microchipping is a safe and effective form of permanent
identification that encourages responsible ownership and enables
the quick reunification of strays with their owners.
“Although we strongly encourage all cat owners to microchip their
pet, the delivery and enforcement around compulsory microchipping
of cats is complex and would need adequate resource. Before
making it compulsory, the government needs to address the
difficulties caused by multiple national databases and consider
how feral cat populations would be managed.
“Campaigns to introduce compulsory microchip scanning deliver
attractive headlines but fail to recognise that the
implementation is complex. Vets’ primary role must be in
providing veterinary care for animals and they should not be put
in the position of policing the law or untangling ownership
disputes, which could result in people not seeking veterinary
treatment.
“We know that the headline policies will be popular, but we urge
the government to work through the detail before committing to
something that is at best unworkable and at worst detrimental to
animal welfare.”
