NEW changes to the law regarding pet cats have been welcomed by a vets which has practises in Dudley, Lye, Oldbury, Sedgley and Quinton.

Blacks vets is urging pet owners to be aware of a change in legislation which is making it compulsory for cats to be microchipped.

Current cat owners have until June 10, 2024, to microchip their pets in order to comply. Kittens must also be chipped before the age of 20 weeks.

The law also requires owners whose cats are already microchipped to ensure their details are up to date.

The team at Blacks Vets have welcomed the move.

Sophie Evans, from Blacks Vets, said: “We know how traumatic it is for owners when their cat is lost or stolen which is why we’re fully supporting the introduction of compulsory microchipping.

“It is the most effective way of identifying lost pets, no matter how far they’ve wandered or been taken, no matter how long they’ve been missing.

“We have seen first-hand how successful dog microchipping has been, with pets who are microchipped twice as likely to be reunited with their owners."

It’s estimated there are nine million cats in the UK but around 2.3 million of them are not microchipped.

Sophie says pet lovers shouldn’t be concerned as it’s a safe and swift procedure which is easy to update for issues like a change of address or phone number.

Sophie added: “Microchipping is a simple process that involves the insertion of a tiny chip, under the skin of a cat.

“Each microchip has a unique serial number that is then registered on a national database alongside the owner’s details.

“When a stray animal is found, the microchip is scanned to identify the registered keeper and enable the pet to be quickly be returned to them.

“Obviously, it’s vitally important that owners always update their contact details when there’s a change in circumstances.”