Part of the process of taking care of a puppy or kitten is to make sure that they have a microchipping course before they reach a certain age where they will have a tiny chip implanted which then is registered to a database with the owner’s name and contact details.
The biggest reason for doing this is that it is the law for dogs and cats, but there are many important reasons besides obligation why it is important to have your pet registered and up to date.
One is that if your pet runs away or gets lost, there is a much better chance of reuniting you with them if they have your details on file, but another reason that thankfully does not come up as often is that if a pet is harmed or killed, a microchip helps with the investigation.
There is an example of this happening in Cheltenham, where a man assaulted a cat in a school car park. A witness who arrived after the attack had taken place rushed the cat to a vet, where she tragically died of her injuries.
Initially, the injuries were believed to be caused by a dog attack, but once the attack was reported to the headteacher of Cleeve School, he investigated and found CCTV footage of the attack taking place and what happened both before and after.
This also helped police and the RSPCA identify the killer, who was arrested and charged with animal abuse offences.
With the CCTV evidence demonstrating not only what he had done but also how he callously left the cat to die, he received a suspended prison sentence, a ban from owning cats for the rest of his life and an order to do 150 hours of community service.
Without a microchip, there is a chance that the killer may not have been prosecuted but by confirming the ownership of the cat, more of the facts of the case came to light.
