June deadline for cat owners to microchip pets or face fine – what you need to know | UK News

Cat owners could face a fine of up to £500 if they fail to microchip their pets, under a law coming into force on June 10.

There are more than nine million pet cats in England – but up to 2.3 million are unchipped.

Microchips mean lost, lost or stolen cats can be reunited with their owners.

The government is introducing new rules to make microchipping mandatory in England.

Here’s what you need to know.

What do cat owners need to do?

Cat owners must have their pets microchipped by June 10th.

After this date, it will be a legal requirement to microchip cats before they are 20 weeks old.

Be sure to write down your cat’s microchip number. If you don’t have it, call your veterinarian to see if it is in their records or take your cat to the veterinarian to have it checked out.

What happens if you don’t microchip your cat?

If it is discovered that you have not microchipped your cat, you will have 21 days to do so.

If you haven’t done so after this point, you will face a fine of up to £500.

What are the rules across the UK?

The new law only applies in England.

Microchipping cats is not mandatory in Wales, Northern Ireland and Scotland – but there have been calls from animal charities for nations to follow suit.

How much does a microchip cost?

Microchipping your cat costs between £10 and £30, according to the RSPCA.

Some animal charities and organizations also offer microchipping and may do so for a reduced fee or free of charge.

If you adopt a cat from a rescue center or animal welfare charity, it must be microchipped, and the organization must provide the information needed to update the microchip details.

What happens if you need to update your microchip details?

You must contact the microchip database to update your details if you change your phone number or move house.

You can usually do this by calling them or going to their website.

There may be a small fee to update your details in the database.

If you are rehoming your cat, you will need to complete an ownership transfer document so that the new owners’ details are on the microchip database.

If your cat dies, you must report this to the microchip database so that its files can be updated.

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What is a microchip?

A microchip is a tiny computer chip about the size of a grain of rice. It contains a unique code that is registered in a database with the owner’s contact details.

The microchip is inserted under the cat’s skin, usually around the back of the neck, using a needle.

Once the chip is implanted, it remains there for life.

If a cat is found outside the home, the microchip can be scanned so the owner can be contacted.

Does the microchip rule apply to all cats?

Cats that have little or no human contact will not need a microchip.

This includes farm, feral and community cats.