Millions of UK cat owners hit by urgent 'act now' warning or face £500 fine
Pet owners could face a fine if they don't microchip their pets in new rules coming into force in a matter of weeks.
Millions of cat owners could be risking a £500 fine as the Government enforces a new microchip law that comes into effect in June.
From June 10, cats must be microchipped and registered on a database by the time they are 20 weeks old. The numbered device, which shows up whenever an animal is scanned, is placed under the skin, usually around the shoulder area.
Pet owners are urged to microchip their pets from 10 to 12 weeks, costing around £20 to £30 depending on the veterinary practice.
The microchips serve as a crucial element in identifying pets, with owners who miss the deadline facing a fine of £500.
It could also affect pet insurance claims, with many companies not covering pets that have not been microchipped.
There are more than nine million pet cats in England, and up to 2.3 million are unchipped, the environment department said.
A feline's microchip "must be fitted by a trained professional", the Government website says. Vets, local councils, and rescue and rehoming centres may all be able to help.
Owners are asked to keep the chip information up to date - for example, if they move house or change phone numbers.
Various databases meet Government standards on which to register the chip, including Animal Data, Animal Tracker and Lost Paws.
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The charity Cats Matter believes around 25 percent of cats - around three million - are not yet microchipped.
A spokesperson said: "Once the new law comes into force, owners found without their cat microchipped will have just 21 days to have one implanted. After the 21 days, owners may then face a fine of up to £500. We have done the hard part by getting the law changed. Now it is down to cat owners to make sure this is the success we know it can and will be.
"The process of microchipping involves the quick, simple and painless insertion of a chip, generally around the size of a grain of rice, under the skin. The microchip has a unique serial number that the keeper needs to register on a database. When a cat is found, the microchip can be read with a scanner and the registered keeper identified on a database so the pet can quickly be reunited with them."
The pet welfare group believes the rule is the right way to care for our furry friends. It said: "When a cat is not microchipped, they can be picked up as a stray and end up clogging the rescue system, which is already on its knees due to the current cost of living crisis, some shelters with waiting lists full of cats to enter care into the hundreds."
