Cat owners in England will have to microchip their pets from next year as the government seeks to deter thefts and reunite strays with their owners.
(Bloomberg) — Cat owners in England will have to microchip their pets from next year as the government seeks to deter thefts and reunite strays with their owners.
Some 2.3 million of the 9 million cats in England are currently unchipped, the Department for Environment and Rural Affairs, or DEFRA, said on Monday in an emailed statement. Under legislation introduced to Parliament on Monday, owners will face a deadline of June 10, 2024 to have their cats chipped.
Under the proposals, it will become mandatory for owners to have their cats implanted with chips before they are 20 weeks old, with their contact details listed in a database. Failure to do so will result in potential fines of as much as £500 ($604) for those who refuse. Feral, farm and community cats will not have to be chipped.
Environment Secretary Therese Coffey said in a statement that it can be “devastating” for owners when cats are lost or stolen, adding that the legislation “will give comfort to families by increasing the likelihood that lost or stray pets can be reunited with their owners.”
More stories like this are available on bloomberg.com
©2023 Bloomberg L.P.