Owners who will not get their pet registered could face fines of up to £500 to combat black market
Millions of cat owners could be expected to get their cats microchipped or face fines under new government plans as the number of felines being stolen has risen sharply amid the pandemic.
Data from the police shows the number of cats being taken has shot up by almost threefold in five years, with a notable 12.3% in the last year. Owners are now being asked to microchip their cats as dogs already are.