Feline fine: cat owners at risk of forking out £500
One in five cat owners in England haven’t microchipped their feline friends, and from June 1st could be fined up to £500
From 10 June 2024 a new law around pet microchipping comes into effect, meaning all cats in England must be microchipped and registered on a database by the time they reach 20 weeks old*, or their owners risk paying a steep fine.
Despite the new law meaning those who fail to microchip their moggies could face a fine of up to £500, new data from Go.Compare Pet Insurance has revealed that 22% still haven’t done so – and could therefore fall foul of the new rules.**
The new government regulation requires all cats over the age of 20 weeks to be microchipped by a trained professional such as a vet or a local rescue and rehoming centre.
Microchips store data about your pet on a database, making it easier to access essential information for routine check-ups, as well as helping vets get in contact with owners in the event a lost pet is recovered. Details that are stored include:
- Your pet's unique ID number
- Your name
- Your home address
- Your mobile number
- Your email address
Rhys Jones, pet insurance expert at Go.Compare, commented: “Cats are notorious for wandering off and having adventures, to the stress and worry of their owners. Microchipping your cat is an essential safety measure to have in place, not only because it’s a legal requirement, but also because it makes reuniting owners with their lost or stolen pets so much easier.”
“Since 2016, puppies have had to be microchipped by eight weeks of age and registered with the breeder as the first keeper. The rules for cats aren’t as strict, but the new legislation means cats now have to be registered by 20 weeks of age.
“As the new rules are now in effect, it’s important to ensure that if you haven’t already microchipped your cat, that you do so as soon as possible. Microchipping is a quick and often inexpensive procedure that a vet can perform, causing minimal stress to your pet.
“Having the security of a microchip could save not just from getting a fine, but also the worry and stress of a lost pet. And, if you are planning on taking your pet abroad this summer, remember that microchips are a requirement for both EU and non-EU countries, so that’s another reason to get your appointment booked. Microchips use a standardised identification system globally, meaning that if you ever lost your pet while abroad they could still be used to help reunite you.”
To learn more about the importance of microchipping your pet and the measures you can have in place to protect your pet, visit: https://www.gocompare.com/pet-insurance/pet-microchipping/.
To learn more about travelling abroad with your pet visit here: https://www.gocompare.com/pet-insurance/travelling-with-your-pet/.
Contact Information
Rubie Barker
Notes to editors
*https://www.gov.uk/get-your-dog-cat-microchipped#:~:text=From%2010%20June%202024%2C%20cats,when%20they%20need%20to%20be
**Based on all quotes for cat insurance in 2023 through Go.Compare.
For further information please contact:
Lynsey Walden on lynsey.walden@Gocompare.com, or Kath Chadwick on Kathryn.chadwick@Gocompare.com. Keep up-to-date with Go.Compare on Twitter; @Go.Compare
About Go.Compare
Go.Compare is a comparison website that enables people to compare the costs and features of a wide variety of insurance policies, financial products and energy tariffs.
It does not charge people to use its services and does not accept advertising or sponsored listings, so all product comparisons are unbiased. Go.Compare makes its money through fees paid by the providers of products that appear on its various comparison services when a customer buys through the site.
When it launched in 2006, it was the first comparison site to focus on displaying policy details rather than just listing prices, with the aim of helping people to make better-informed decisions when buying their insurance. It is this approach to comparing products that secured the company an invitation to join the British Insurance Brokers’ Association (BIBA) in 2008, and it is still the only comparison site to be a member of this organisation.
Go.Compare has remained dedicated to helping people choose the most appropriate products rather than just the cheapest and works with Defaqto, the independent financial researcher, to integrate additional policy information into a number of its insurance comparison services. This allows people to compare up to an extra 30 features of cover.
Go.Compare is part of Future Plc and is authorised and regulated by the Financial Conduct Authority (FCA). More information can be found here www.Go.Compare.com or here https://www.futureplc.com/brands/.