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Petition to make microchipping compulsory for cats
“Most of the stray cats we take into our adoption centres do not have a microchip, so it’s incredibly difficult to trace an owner" - Jacqui Cuff, Cats Protection.

Nearly eight out of 10 stray cats do not have a microchip

Tens of thousands of people have signed a petition calling on the government to make microchipping compulsory for cats, as it is for dogs.

The petition was launched in response to new figures that show nearly eight in 10 stray cats coming into the care of Cats Protection do not have a microchip. Jacqui Cuff, head of advocacy & relations at Cats Protection, said:


“Most of the stray cats we take into our adoption centres do not have a microchip, so it’s incredibly difficult to trace an owner. It means many cats, which may well have a loving family, have to be re-homed as we simply can’t trace their owner.

“Microchipping gives lost cats the best possible chance of being reunited with their owner. And in the sad event that a cat is injured or killed on the roads, the details on a microchip can ensure their owner is quickly informed.

She continued: “Microchipping is an essential part of responsible pet ownership and is already compulsory for dogs. It’s now time that cats receive the same level of protection by ensuring that all pet cats are microchipped.”

There are lots of stories about pets being reunited with their owners many years after they were lost. But perhaps some aren’t quite as extraordinary as the tale of Quincey, who had been missing for more than 12 years when he was finally reunited with his family.


Sadly Quincey’s owner died not long after he disappeared. But, thanks to details on his microchip, he was returned to her daughter Paula, in Braintree, Essex.


Paula said: “We honestly never thought we would see Quincey again and the whole family was overjoyed when we got a call to say he’d be found. Even after all these years, he’s still a much-loved family pet, and we were delighted to get him back.

“None of that would have been possible had he not been microchipped, and I’m firmly of the view that microchipping is a necessary part of owning a cat.”

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Vets to run marathon for World Animal Protection

News Story 1
 Two recently graduated veterinary surgeons will be running the London Marathon in April to raise money for the charity World Animal Protection.

Alex Bartlett and Maeve O'Neill plan to run the race together if they are given the same start times.

Dr O'Neill said: "You're always limited in what you can do to help animals, so it is nice to raise money for a charity that helps animals around the world."

Dr Bartlett added: "I have never run a marathon before and am excited to run my first one for such a good cause!"

Both Dr Bartlett and Dr O'Neill have fundraising pages online. 

Click here for more...
News Shorts
BSAVA releases new Guide to Procedures

The British Small Animal Veterinary Association (BSAVA) has published a new edition of its Guide to Procedures for Small Animal Practice.

It has added four new procedures; cystostomy tube placement, endotracheal intubation, point-of-care ultrasound and wet-to-dry dressings.

BSAVA says that it is an essential step-by-step guide to diagnostic and therapeutic procedures performed in practice. The textbook includes new images and illustrations, as well as high-definition videos for use prior to procedures.

Nick Bexfield and Julia Riggs, editors of the new edition, said: "We have built upon the success of the previous editions by responding to the feedback received from the BSAVA readership, and hope this new guide helps to further increase the confidence and accuracy with which these procedures are performed."

Print copies are available in the BSAVA store, with a digital version in the BSAVA library.