Cats Protection unveils priorities in Wales
One in four households in Wales owns a cat.
Cats Protection has released a cat welfare action plan for Wales, calling on the Welsh government to introduce compulsory microchipping for cats, alongside other measures to improve cat welfare.
Further issues covered in the report include the availability of cat-friendly housing in the private rented sector, the need for breeding regulation, the inclusion of animal welfare in the Welsh Curriculum, and regulation of animal welfare establishements.
To launch the report, the charity held a reception to discuss the proposed measures with members of the Senedd (MSs) from across the political spectrum.
Although microchipping for cats will become compulsory in England on 10 June 2024, the change in the law will not affect Wales. In addition to Cats Protection, other animal welfare organisations, including RSPCA Cymru, have urged the Welsh government to follow the UK Government’s lead.
Daryl Gordon, Cats Protection’s advocacy and government relations officer for Wales, said: “Wales is a nation of pet lovers and cats are a particularly popular pet, with one in four households owning one. It’s therefore great to see so many politicians coming together to find out what they can do to ensure cats receive the protection in law that they deserve.
“Among the key measures we discussed was the need for compulsory microchipping of pet cats in Wales. This is something which will soon be introduced for cats in England and it’s important that cats in Wales are not left behind.
“We also talked about what MSs can do to ensure there is more cat-friendly housing available in the private rented sector. So many people now rent their homes yet too many are being denied the chance to own a pet cat and we believe this must change.”
Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
