Cat lovers in the UK have the chance to have our say on the following ten proposals that the Cats Protection charity are putting forward to improve life for the approximately eight million domestic cats in our country. Not only would these proposals becoming law help pet cats, but also stray cats and feral cats too.
They are:
1. Updating the law to control the breeding and sale of cats to reduce the number of unwanted kittens.
2. Making it compulsory to microchip owned cats.
3. Creating a national database to ensure that a central record is kept of all cats entering the UK legally so those entering illegally without a rabies vaccine can be identified without delay.
4. Updating the Dangerous Dogs Act to allow prosecution of dog owners whose dogs attack, injure or kill cats.
5. Inclusion of animal welfare in the National Curriculum so all children learn about responsible pet care.
6. Government recognition of the needs of people with cats or other companion animals in rented housing and care homes to allow people to keep their pets.
7. Government recognition of the benefits which cats and other health and personal wellbeing when an individual’s care needs are assessed.
8. Clear labelling of flowers, plants and household products that are toxic to cats so cat owners know which to avoid.
9. An outright ban on the use of snares on the basis they are inhumane and cruel and inflict suffering, injury or death on animals caught in them (which includes cats).
10. Much stricter regulation on the ownership of air guns and crossbows to prevent injury or death to cats shot by such weapons.
I think all these proposals are very important, but I wish they had included making it law that anyone injuring or killing a cat in a road accident should be forced to report it, the same as if a dog is injured or killed!
Why are cats still classed along with wild animals when they have long been domesticated now?
If microchipping ‘owned’ cats becomes compulsory then surely they are as much ‘owned’ as dogs are and should have equal rights. Although I hate the word owner, a person who adopts a cat becomes by law the owner of that cat.
But all in all this is another step in the right direction to give cats more rights and this pleases those of us who love cats and want more protection for them.
I just hope the government take these proposals seriously.
This is wonderful, Ruth! What do you truly think about them? [I’m not very good with following over there on the Isles…is this good, in your opin?] FWIW, everything that you write, is well worth soaking in, in my mind.
If the new laws make it more onerous and expensive to have pet cats many people will stop adopting and caring for them.
While I am here in the USA, that survey is really interesting and I wish I could participate. Leah made an excellent point- which should be done routinely here in the USA also.
Thanks, Ruth!
Really pleased you made us aware of this Ruth as I had no prior knowledge. I strongly feel that cats knocked over and killed by vehicles should be checked for a micro chip. I do feel that all the points on the manifesto are equally as important.
This is a great opportunity to have our say because under each question there is a box to put your own comments in this gives plenty of chances to suggest that cats are given equal status with dogs when it comes to them being knocked down on the road, in two of the comment boxes I was able to suggest that it become law that a person is as legally bound to stop and report and accident involving a cat as they are a dog. I hope all UK cat lovers will fill this in and stand up for cat’s rights.
They are all excellent proposals as far as I am concerned. It makes me think why some of these haven’t happened already. Some will be easier to implement (microchipping) and some harder (animal welfare national curriculum, for example).
Good for Cats Protection. It is good to have a major cat charity pushing for change which improves cat welfare in the UK.