Compulsory Microchipping of Cats in England
The UK government has confirmed that it is to introduce compulsory microchipping of cats in England from 10 June 2024. Owners who fail to comply will be fined.
The Department for Environment, Food, and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) estimates that 2.8 million cats in the United Kingdom remain unchipped. That makes it almost impossible to reunite a lost cat with its owner.
Under the new legislation, failing to microchip a cat will carry a fine of £500.
The UK pet microchip database, Petlog, supports the move. It holds a database of 13.4 million microchipped pets but also notes this alone won’t solve the problem. Petlog says many pet owners forget to alert their microchip database about changes to their phone number and address. This is a further barrier to successful reunification.
A spokesperson for Petlog stated, “Microchipping is already mandatory for dogs. The Government has underlined its commitment to the safety of the nation’s pets.”
“We urge cat owners to microchip their pets now. Please don’t leave it until the last minute. And remember that a microchip isn’t effective if the contact details are incorrect. All pet owners must ensure their contact details are up-to-date to help ensure swift reunification.”
As a supporter of pet microchipping, CatInfo.net welcomes the compulsory microchipping of cats in England. This decision by the UK government to make it compulsory will ensure far fewer cats end up missing.
