Dear Editor
TODAY (10th June) an important new cat welfare law will come into effect – but only for pet cats in England. This new legislation will mean all pet cats in England must be microchipped, ensuring they have the best possible chance to be reunited with their owners if they go missing or are injured.
Cats Protection is campaigning to make sure cats in Scotland are not left behind on this important feline welfare issue. Figures from our Cats and Their Stats report 2023 shows over a quarter of cats in Scotland – around 240,000 – are currently not microchipped.
This means that if they become lost they may never be returned home, and their owners may never know what has happened to them. It also puts a strain on Scottish animal charities, who may end up rehoming stray cats because they’re unable to trace their owner.
Animal welfare is a devolved issue, and we’re urging the Scottish Government to take action to introduce compulsory microchipping of pet cats. In addition to the new law for cats in England, microchipping has been compulsory for dogs in Scotland since 2016.
As a nation of animal lovers, we must ensure that animal welfare standards in Scotland keep up with the rest of the UK.
To find out how to support our campaign, please visit cats.org.uk/campaigning
Yours sincerely
Alice Palombo
Advocacy & Government Relations Officer for Scotland
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