Cat owners issued strict 21-day warning or face £500 fine as new law in force

Cat owners issued strict 21-day warning or face £500 fine as new law in force New RSPCA alert as 'for first time' cats outnumber dogs being abandoned - and owers face strict microchipping penalties Thousands of cat owners are at risk of falling foul of cat laws which are now in force - as a BBC report showed a shocking rise of abandoned animals during the heatwave. BBC Breakfast today reported that for the first time, the number of cats in RSPCA care has overtaken the number of dogs in the last three weeks. There has been a significant rise in the number of cats coming in, with 551 in June alone. The charity is warning that it is rapidly running out of space and is desperate for people to adopt. And people have been warned that new cat laws are in force now - which means that anyone responsible and who has not got their pet microchipped faces a big fine. The charity Cats Matter has explained that it is against the law for cat owners not to have their pets microchipped within 21 days once they are traced. A spokesperson explained: “Owners found without their cat microchipped will have just 21 days to have one implanted. After the 21 days, owners may then face a fine of up to £500. We have done the hard part by getting the law changed. Now it is down to cat owners to make sure this is the success we know it can and will be.” “The process of microchipping involves the quick, simply and painless insertion of a chip, generally around the size of a grain of rice, under the skin. The microchip has a unique serial number that the keeper needs to register on a database. When a cat is found, the microchip can be read with a scanner and the registered keeper identified on a database so the pet can quickly be reunited with them.”. BBC correspondent Nick Dixon explained why the current crisis was happening. He said: “It’s down to a couple of different reasons. Summertime there are generally far fewer adoptions for cats taking place generally. But on top of that, summer is peak breeding season. So the rescue centres around the country really are overwhelmed with cats and kittens. “More cats than dogs in the care of the RSPCA for the first time in the charity’s history. More than 550 cats taken in during June of this year. Cat related incidents reported to the charity up 49% this year and reports of stray cats and kittens up 190%.” The RSPCA has said that black and white cats in particular are hard to rehome. Cats Matter, a pet welfare group, supports the idea of microchipping cats. They say: “When a cat is not microchipped, they can be picked up as a stray and end up clogging the rescue system, which is already on it’s knees due to the current cost of living crisis, some shelters with waiting lists full of cats to enter care into the hundreds.” “Microchipping ensures that people are notified should an accident happen, and we are fully aware how important it is for people to be notified of incidents concerning their cats, and how vital it is to have that closure should the worst happen. Even cats that are house cats or have catios and enclosed gardens can still escape through windows, doors, or of course carriers on the way to the vets.” Cats Matter has asked DEFRA, a government department, to make sure the chips are scanned so that lost cats can find their way home. They said: “We are so pleased the Government have brought in this law after years of campaigning, but we remain concerned about the scanning system that compliments it. We have remained clear to DEFRA that, for microchipping to work in practice, chips must be scanned. We continue to push the Government on introducing effective scanning measures so as many cats as possible can go home to their families where they belong.” “We urge all cat owners who have not yet microchipped their cat to make an appointment at their local vets or with their nearest registered implanter. It’s vital people book through a trained and registered implanter to prevent injury or potential complications to their beloved cat.” The Government has said: “Cats in England will need to be microchipped and registered on a database by the time they’re 20 weeks old. You can be fined up to £500 if your dog or cat is not microchipped when they need to be.” “Your pet’s microchip must be fitted by a trained professional. You can ask your vet, local council or local rescue and rehoming centre if they can microchip your dog or cat. They might charge a fee.”