The Government has announced that microchipping will soon be a legal requirement for cats in England. Failure to comply, may result in penalties of up to £500 if new regulations follow those currently in place for dogs. We are urging all cat owners to not leave microchipping their pet (or checking details already held) to the last minute. This is vital for helping to keep your pet safe.
Background
The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) estimates that as many as 2.8 million cats in the UK are unchipped, meaning that it would be difficult to reunite them with their owner if they get lost or stolen.
When does the legislation come into force?
The new rules will come into force after the Government’s review of the current regulations on dog microchipping.
What do I need to do?
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Make sure your cat is microchipped
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If your cat is microchipped with us, create an account
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Once your account is created check your details are up to date
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Upgrade to Petlog Premium so you can update your details as many times as you would like
The Kennel Club/Petlog position
Microchipping your pet and registering them on a database, alongside the keeper’s address and phone number, is such a simple step but can be a life-saver for your pet, and gives peace of mind during what is always an extremely stressful and worrying time.
Microchipping is already mandatory for dogs and ensuring that the same rules apply to cats underlines the government’s commitment to keeping pets safe with rising concerns about pet theft.
Given the well reported shortages in the vet sector, since the pandemic, we urge cat owners to not leave microchipping until the last minute but take action now, to ensure that their cat is kept safe and you are prepared for when the law changes.
A microchip is only as effective as the contact details on the database that the chip is registered with, so this is also a timely reminder to all pet owners to ensure that their contact details are up-to-date, in order to help ensure swift reunification.
Updating details
Address updates cost £10 for Petlog Basic customers but is free for customers on our Petlog Premium service. Upgrade today and read about some of the other benefits included in this service. If you are a Petlog customer and wish to check that your details are up-to-date login to your account.
If your pet is not microchipped
If your pet is not currently microchipped you can get this done with your vet, or another authorised agent for microchipping, who will also register your pet’s microchip on a microchipping database, such as Petlog. We urge pet owners to always check that the details inputted into the microchipping database – which will be used to help reunite you with your pet in the event of it going missing - are correct. To find out more about us and our benefits please see the about us page.