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Germany 9th May 2024
Understanding the New Cat Microchipping Law – What Does it Mean for your Plan?
On the 10th June 2024, a new cat microchipping law will come into effect, detailing new rules surrounding the requirements for microchipping felines. What are the new guidelines, and what can they mean for cat owners in your practice and for your pet health plans? Read on to find out.
Approximately 61% of practice staff members surveyed said that their owners have had their pets chipped
Today’s Veterinary Nurse
What is a microchip and what was the old cat microchipping law?
Prior to this year, microchipping in cats has been mostly unregulated. For many years, vets have recommended the use of a microchip, a tiny identification device placed into the nape of a cat’s neck, as a method of identifying a cat without a collar. The device is linked up to a database, which contains emergency contact information for a cat’s owner. Despite this, microchipping has previously never been enforced.
Microchips are a widely recognised as a safe and effective measure of identification of pets in an emergency. In fact, a survey conducted by Today’s Veterinary Nurse found that approximately 61% of practice staff members surveyed said that their owners have had their pets chipped [1].
What has changed?
You may remember that the laws regarding microchipping dogs changed back in 2016. The changes that were made are very similar to the new rules that are soon to affect cats. The new law states that owners will have until the 10th June 2024 to microchip their cat. After this date, owners may face a fine if they are found with a cat who has not been chipped.
It is estimated that around 100,000 cats go missing in the UK each year [2], and many animal rehoming shelters and vets struggle to identify cats who have not been microchipped, relying solely on publicity and word of mouth discussions to track down the pet’s parents. The new cat microchipping law comes into effect in a bid to reunite more lost felines with their owners.
What do you need to do?
For veterinary team members, it’s important to ensure owners in your practice are aware of the upcoming changes to microchipping requirements. For many, you may be their only source of information when it comes to veterinary regulations such as these. So, are you ready to explain the changes to your cat owners?
The Government website has a lot of useful information about the new regulations. Learn more by clicking the button below.
Alternatively, contact us, and a member of our team will be happy to chat more.
How does the new cat microchipping law affect your pet health plan?
If you offer a pet health plan, how can you adjust your offerings to accommodate cat owners under the new rules?
Your pet health plan is designed to help pet owners get what they need from veterinary care. Could you consider the inclusion of a free or discounted microchip in your plan offerings? Doing so at a time convenient to an owner, such as at vaccinations or routine checkups, will improve the uptake of the service among your clients.
Additionally, consider offering informative marketing materials or leaflets in your practice to educate owners on the new cat microchipping law. If your pet health plan is with Premier Vet Alliance, you can use our functional app to contact cat owners in your practices.
Other resources such as infographics or diagrams often be more engaging and memorable for pet owners. Displaying these with pride of place in your practice can prove to be an effective tactic for promoting the benefits of your pet health plan and demonstrating the practical real-time value and flexibility that you can offer.
Remember, your dedicated Premier Vet Alliance coach is on hand to help with any questions and to offer advice in implementing new processes. Contact your coach to ensure you and your clients are fully prepared for upcoming law changes.
Not a Premier Vet Alliance customer yet? We’re still here to help. Contact a member of the team today for advice cat microchipping and more.
1 https://todaysveterinarynurse.com/news/poll-are-the-majority-of-your-pet-patients-microchipped/
2 https://www.petplan.co.uk/pet-information/cat/advice/how-to-find-a-lost-cat/
