SNP MP Martyn Day has called for a change in the law
regarding cats that are killed or harmed in road accidents. It is hoped that
this new law will help cat owners find out what has happened to their cats, the
same as dog owners. With a few changes to the law, cats will stop ending up in
landfill sites with the owners being left not knowing if their pet is lost,
stolen or deceased.
The new law proposal has been welcomed by campaigners, the
RSPCA and Cats Protection. More than 100,000 signatures were collected in a petition
created by Helena Abrahams, calling for microchips to be scanned if a cat is
called. Ms Abrahams’ campaign Gizmo’s
Legacy was created after her beloved pet cat was killed and cremated without
her knowing. If her cat had been scanned, she would have been able to cremate
her cat herself. Ms Abraham also spoke of people witnessing cats being thrown
into refuse trucks and said that she doesn’t want any pet to end up on a landfill
site.
Microchip Your Cat
Currently, dogs are scanned if they are found dead on the
road by Highways England. Additionally, any driver that hits a dog have a legal
duty to report the accident. The RSPCA have said they would like to see the
same for cats. Jacqui Cuff, the Cats Protection advocacy manager said that it
is time for the distress of cat owners not knowing what has happened needs to
end. Bury North MP James Frith also expects the debate to resonate well as cats
are considered family members by their owners.
Cat containment systems such as cat fencing and cat enclosures
keep cats off the road and safe in their designated outdoor space. However,
please remember to microchip your cats and hopefully moving forward the new law
will come to pass.
