Over a third of cat owners unaware of microchip law
Cat owners who have not microchipped their pet by 10 June 2024 risk a fine.
New research has revealed that 1.5 million cat owners in the UK have not had their cat microchipped.
It also found that 38 per cent of cat owners were unaware of the new microchipping law.
The research, from MSD Animal Health, surveyed cat owners from across the country to discover how often their cat went missing and whether their cat was microchipped.
Nearly one in three cat owners living in London said that their cat frequently went missing. Despite this, 28 per cent had not had their cat microchipped.
This contrasts with Gloucester, where just five per cent of cat owners were yet to microchip their pet.
Birmingham had the highest statistics for non-microchipped cats of all major cities, with 39 per cent of cat owners not having microchipped their cat, or being unaware if they had done so. However, one in five said their pet went missing a few times a week.
It comes with just over a month to go until the 10 June deadline, by which time most cats should be microchipped. Cat owners who have not microchipped their cat risk a fine of £500.
Across the UK, one in five cat owners reported that their cat had gone missing from their home. Of these, 70 per cent said this would happen a few times a year.
Twenty-seven per cent of cat owners said the first thing they’d do if their pet went missing would be to post a photograph on social media.
Animal welfare experts have stressed the importance of getting cats microchipped at a veterinary practice, and registering the microchip with a government compliant microchip registration database.
When cats are taken into shelters or veterinary clinics, the first thing they will do is scan the pet for a microchip.
Alice Potter, a cat welfare expert at RSPCA, said: “Microchipping your pet is the surest way to help ensure that should they get lost or become injured they can be reunited with you.
“Pets are like family members and so we understand the pain and distress of losing a much-loved pet; but by ensuring they are microchipped – and the details kept up-to-date – cat owners are much more likely to be reunited with their companions.”
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Defra has published guidance for the vet sector ahead of a proposed UK-EU Sanitary and Phytosanitary agreement.
