Cat owners have one month left to ensure their pets are microchipped and registered or they could face a £500 fine.
Starting from 10th June, it will be mandatory for all cats to be microchipped and registered by the time they reach 20 weeks old.
Statistics show an estimated 25% of cats - approximately three million felines, are not currently microchipped. Once the legislation comes into effect, cat owners who have not had their pets microchipped will be given a 21-day grace period to rectify the situation. Should cat owners fail to comply with this new regulation, they could find themselves facing a significant penalty.
Local councils will also be granted the authority to seize unchipped cats, arrange for them to be microchipped, and then return them to their owners, who will be responsible for covering the cost.
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.
According to Cats Protection, it costs between £20 and £30 to microchip a cat in the UK, depending on where you live. Charities and cat rescue organisations may also be able to microchip your cat for a reduced rate.
Speaking after the new law was announced last August 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.”
A spokesperson for the charity Cats Matter said: "Once the new law comes into force, owners found without their cat microchipped will have just 21 days to have one implanted. After the 21 days, owners may then face a fine of up to £500.
"We have done the hard part by getting the law changed. Now it is down to cat owners to make sure this is the success we know it can and will be."
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.
Photo credit: Blue Cross
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