Law meant to reduce stray cats 'is failing'

CHARITY PLEADS WITH OWNERS TO GET PETS MICROCHIPPED

- By HERALD REPORTER

NEW legislation making it compulsory for all pet cats to be microchipped is failing to impact on Plymouth's stray cat population, a charity has warned.

Around half of the stray cats rescued by Woodside Animal Welfare Sanctuary have an out-of-date microchip which prevents potential owners being traced.

The other half do not have a microchip at all, despite legislation brought in last summer making it a legal requirement for all pet cats in England to be microchipped before the age of 20 weeks.

The charity, on the edge of Plymouth, is now urging cat and dog owners to get their pets microchipped and keep their contact details up to date.

Woodside Senior Manager Debbie Haynes said: "Despite the changes and legislation it has not made a difference to the number of stray cats we're seeing. "We thought it would get better if people were microchipping their pets but, quite often, they're not."

Every week at least one or two stray cats, on average, are brought to the charity at Elfordleigh on the edge of Plympton.