A Sheffield animal shelter has warned cat owners may be fined up to £500 if they fail to cooperate with a new microchipping mandate that comes into legislation in June.
In a bid to enhance responsible pet ownership and facilitate swift reunions between lost pets and their owners, Parliament has recently introduced a new mandate regarding microchipping for cats that comes into play 10 June 2024. This mandate marks a significant stride in ensuring the safety and well-being of our feline companions.
The microchip mandate requires that all felines be implanted with a microchip containing their unique identification details. This aims to address the challenges associated with lost or stray cats, providing a reliable means of identification that transcends traditional methods like collars or tags, which can easily be lost or removed.
The Sheffield Cats Shelter has been holding free microchipping events in support of the mandate. However, there is a suggested donation of £10, but their main priority is getting the cats microchipped.
Becki Hollingworth, a cat welfare manager at the shelter, said: “The microchipping events we’ve been trying to organise are just to try to get as many people to comply as possible for when it comes into effect, so we’re trying to get the word out.”
A microchip, about the size of a grain of rice, is inserted under the skin of the cat, typically between the shoulder blades. It contains a unique identification number that can be read using a handheld scanner.
Hollingworth added: “It’s best for the cat to get microchipped in case they ever go missing or wander a bit too far, they can be returned to their owner. It’s something that’s so easy and simple; we’re trying to make it affordable as well.
I’m hoping the next few chip drives will go well and we’ll get more kitty cats microchipped.”
When a lost cat is found, animal shelters, veterinary clinics, or other authorised entities can scan the microchip to retrieve the owner’s contact information from a centralised database. This enables a swift reunion between the lost cat and its owner, minimising the stress and uncertainty associated with a missing pet.
For more information, visit: The Sheffield Cat Shelter | Working To Help Cats Since 1897 (thesheffieldcatsshelter.org)
