Microchipping your cat: When is the deadline and how much is the fine if you don't?
Millions of cat owners in England risk fines if they do not get their cats microchipped and registered on a database.
Cats Protection, a charitable organisation, reports that out of the nine million pet cats in the nation, up to 2.2 million are still not microchipped.
About 14 per cent of owners claimed their cat could be recognised by its collar, while nearly 25 per cent of owners who have not had their cats microchipped stated it is because their pet does not go outside.
What is the new law on microchipping your cat?
Cats that are 20 weeks of age or older must be microchipped in England by June 10, according to a new law.
The mandated programme is to facilitate the reunification of stray or lost pet cats with their owners.
Madison Rogers, head of advocacy, campaigns and government relations for Cats Protection, announced: “Some owners think they are never going to go through the trauma of losing their pet cat, but in the last year 115,000 pet cats in England went missing and never returned home.
“Cats are nimble and extremely agile and can easily slip out without us noticing.”
How much does it cost to microchip your cat?
It costs between £20 and £30 to have a cat microchipped by a vet.
Microchipping can also be done in a local rescue and rehoming centre.
Your cat doesn’t suffer any pain while getting microchipped and it is usually done in a few seconds.
A tiny chip is "quickly and simply" implanted beneath the skin of the animal to microchip it with a unique code.
The owner's contact information that is stored in a database can then be compared to the chip by scanning.
How much is the fine if you don’t microchip your cat?
If it is discovered that the pet's owner has not microchipped their cat, they will have 21 days to get one implanted or pay a fine of up to £500.
