Millions of Cat owners may be forced to chip their pets as legislation is expected to be passed making it a legal requirement. forward in “coming weeks”.
Long-awaited offers can soon be brought to parliament How did MPs handle the petition? on demanding drivers stop when they run over cat, judging by the transport ministerRichard Holden.
Organizations including Battersea Dogs & Cats Home and Blue Cross called for law enforcement drivers report that he hit a cat, but Holden claimed that microchipping best way reunite the owners with them dead pets.
“Cats tend to roam unaccompanied and are more likely to out at night,” Holden said. “Drivers also may not realize they have collision with cat in some instances or small animals very similar to rabbits or other wild animals that can also cross the road late at night.
“There is also dangers associated with stopping to check if the animals are alive, especially if they are very small animals.
“Having a law requiring the reporting of road accidents involving cats would be difficult to enforce, especially when, as members of the Chamber made clearPetplan suggested it might be in terms of hundreds of thousands of these incidents are being put forward year”.
The proposed measures are part of of renewed efforts to further raise animal welfare standards in the UK.
Pet ownership has skyrocketed during the lockdown and an estimated 2.6 million cats are over a quarter of british feline population – not chipped. Previously call for evidence showed 99% of respondents supported practice.
Microchipping involves painless insertion of chip is usually about the size of corn of rice under the skin.
When the animal is found by scanning the microchip that has unique serial number – means that the registered owner can be identified on database and pet can be quickly reunited with them.
The owners are likely face the same penalties as dog owners if they break the law. If local authorities discover dog without a microchip, owners will have to customize one within 21 days or be fined up up to £500.
This happens after the increase message in number of cats stolen, with data showing cases of shooting up during a pandemic. Police data showed cat thefts nearly tripled in five years up until April 2021.
Labor MP Tonia Antoniazzi said many people considered cats “as part of of in familyadding, “This, along with their independent nature, curiosity and aloofness, helped them to be one of our beloved pets.
Under the Highway Traffic Act 1988, section 170, drivers are required stop and report incidents of hitting livestock or working animals such as horses, cattle, sheep, pigs, goats or dogs.
Conservative MP James Daly said it would be easy to change the law, telling MPs: “You just add word in legislation that is “cat”. Then we will achieve what has been said.”
He added: “However much we love goats, we must not distinguish in respect of animals on value.”
