Campaigners push for change in Jersey law to ensure all cats are microchipped

Microchips can be as small as a grain of rice and are applied by injection in a procedure that takes seconds. Credit: ITV Channel

Campaigners in Jersey are calling for a new law to be introduced to microchip cats on the island.

It follows new legislation which comes into effect in England from Monday 10 June, requiring owners to microchip their cats or they could face a £500 fine.

The change means those travelling to England with their pet must also ensure that it is chipped.

There is no such law currently in the Channel Islands, although Jersey's Chief Veterinary Officer says they are considering making it mandatory on the island.

Microchips are small devices that are injected into pets, carrying the personal data of their owners so they can be reunited easily.

Lesley Bassford's cat, Max, went missing for 13 months but was reunited after his details were scanned on his microchip.

'It's so easy now and more pet owners should make sure they do it and keep the details up to date too.' - Lesley Bassford Credit: ITV Channel

Lesley said: "Brilliantly, as soon as they scanned him, all the details came up and they could get hold of me literally within an hour."

She added that despite Jersey being a small island, animals can still go missing for months.

The JSPCA say it regularly has cats that are not microchipped, making it much more difficult to reunite with their owners.

It has also had cats brought in with microchips that did not have updated contact details, meaning they had to be rehomed.

A Jersey vet, Dr Anna Lezala, said: "Unfortunately it's something we see all the time. It can be upsetting thinking there is somebody out there who is missing this cat."

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