Cats Protection has welcomed a Government call for evidence on introducing compulsory microchipping of pet cats.
The charity says microchipping should become a legal requirement for owned cats, as it already is for dogs. Currently, eight out of 10 stray cats taken in by the charity’s Adoption Centres in England are not microchipped, making it virtually impossible to trace an owner.
The Government announced its call for evidence on compulsory microchipping of cats following a ministerial visit to Cats Protection’s Mitcham Homing Centre by Theresa Villiers, Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.
PETITION
The charity’s chief executive, James Yeates, said the charity had been campaigning for microchipping to be made compulsory for owned cats and had recently launched a petition on the issue.
“Microchipping is an essential part of being a responsible pet owner and is already compulsory for dogs. Cats are just as popular and well-loved, so it’s only right that this should also apply to owned cats to ensure they have the same level of protection.”
Out of just under 11 million owned cats in the UK (The PDSA Animal Wellbeing Report (PAW) 2019), 29% are not microchipped – which makes a total of more than three million unchipped pet cats with no permanent means of identification.
