Do you know about the changes to cat microchipping in 2024?
From the 10th June 2024, a new legislation for compulsory microchipping of cats will be in place. The aim of the new legalization is to make it easier for lost or stray cats to be reunited with their owners, helping them return home safely.
In England, there are around 9 million cats, of which around 2.3 million are unchipped, making it virtually impossible to reunite these stray cats when there is no information to help find their owners.
As part of the new law, a microchip will need to be implanted before a kitten reaches the age of 20 weeks, with the contact details being stored and kept up to date within a pet microchipping database.
Owners found not to have their cat microchipped will be given a period of 21 days for one to be implanted and registered, or they could face a fine of up to £500.
If your cat is currently not microchipped, please contact our client care team at one of our branches or via our website or PetsApp to arrange an appointment.
Transferring your pet’s microchip
If you have rehomed your pet privately and the previous owner is unsure of the details, using your search engine type in “Check a Chip” and enter the microchip number to find out which database holds the existing records – this might be Petlog, Identibase, SmartTrac or Pettrac for example.