A Knaresborough veterinary centre is to host a ‘cat chipping’ morning next month.
New regulations make it compulsory for all cats over the age of 20 weeks to be microchipped from June 10. Owners have 21 days to get their pets chipped or face a £500 fine.
The regulation aims to make it easier for lost pets to be reunited with their owners. According to the charity Cats Protection, there are more than 10 million pet cats in England, with as many as 2.3 million unchipped.
Tower Vets on Wetherby Road will hold the event on March 16. Owners can pay £10 to microchip their cat — a £15 reduction on the company’s usual fee.
José Madrid Rodriguez, senior veterinary surgeon at Tower Vets, said:
“Owners who bring cats and kittens to us for microchipping can be assured we will only use a government-approved database when registering their pet.
“Microchips are safe, easy to implant and effective. Unlike collars and ID tags, they don’t come off and they don’t put your cat at risk of injury. The easiest time to do this is when cats come in for neutering at 20 weeks, at the same time as they are anaesthetised, so we would encourage owners to discuss both options with their vet.”
Owners must register their cat’s microchip number on a government-approved database and their contact details are stored and kept up to date. Owners can still be fined £500 if their cat is registered on a database that is not on the government’s approved list
Compulsory microchipping of dogs over eight weeks old came into force in 2016. Tower Vets is also holding a ‘cat chipping’ afternoon for pet owners in York on March 23.
For more information on the new regulations click here.
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