- Government delivers on key manifesto pledge to introduce
compulsory microchipping for all owned cats
- Owners will have until 10 June 2024 to microchip their cat
- Microchipping cats will help reunite thousands of lost or
stray pets every year
New legislation to introduce compulsory cat microchipping is
being laid in Parliament today (13 March), making it easier for
lost or stray pet cats to be reunited with their owners and
returned home safely.
There are over 9 million pet cats in England, with as many as 2.3
million unchipped, meaning that it would be very difficult to
reunite them with their owner if they get lost or stolen.
The new microchipping rules follow a Government call for evidence and
consultation on the
issue in which 99% of respondents expressed support for the
measure. The introduction of compulsory cat
microchipping was a manifesto commitment and an Action Plan for Animal
Welfare pledge.
The new rules mean cats must be implanted with a microchip before
they reach the age of 20 weeks and their contact details stored
and kept up to date in a pet microchipping database. All owners
must have their cat microchipped by 10 June 2024 and owners found
not to have microchipped their cat will have 21 days to have one
implanted, or may face a fine of up to £500.
Environment Secretary Thérèse Coffey said:
“Cats and kittens are treasured members of the family, and it can
be devasting for owners when they are lost or stolen.
“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:
“I am pleased that we are progressing with our requirement for
all cats to be microchipped.
“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.
“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.”
Cats Protection’s Head of Advocacy, Campaigns &
Government Relations, Madison Rogers, said:
“Cats Protection is delighted that pet cats in England will be
given the same protection as dogs when it comes to microchipping.
The charity regularly reunites owners with their much-loved cats,
and in most cases this is only possible thanks to microchips. 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.”
The process of microchipping involves the insertion of a chip,
generally around the size of a grain of rice, under the skin of a
pet. The microchip has a unique serial number that the keeper
needs to register on a database. When an animal is found, the
microchip can be read with a scanner and the registered keeper
identified on a database so the pet can quickly be reunited with
them.
It will not be compulsory for free living cats that live with
little or no human interaction or dependency, such as farm, feral
or community cats.
Owners with cats that are already microchipped should ensure
their details are up to date.
The commitment to microchipping is part of a wider Government
effort to build on our existing world-leading standards. Since
publishing the Action Plan for Animal
Welfare in 2021: we have brought in new laws to recognise
animals sentience, introduced tougher penalties for animal
cruelty offences and brought forward a ban on glue traps.
Notes to Editors:
