Bolton's cat owners could face £500 fines if they don't microchip their pets, warns Walkden's White Cross Vets.

The warning was issued after new laws requiring all cats to be microchipped became effective in June.

Despite the legislation's coverage of indoor cats as well, many pet owners are reportedly still unaware of the changes and could be penalized for non-compliance.

The law, introduced on June 10, makes it compulsory for cats in England to be microchipped when they reach 20 weeks of age.

Cat owners are also required to keep their contact details up-to-date in a pet microchipping database.

A grace period of 21 days has been set for any owners detected without microchipped cats to adhere to the legislation.

Veteran vet, Tom Ward, from White Cross Vets, explained the implications surrounding the regulation change.

Mr Ward said: "In recent months we’ve been busy microchipping cats ahead of the introduction of this legislation, but we’ve already seen several cats in recent weeks that weren’t microchipped, so we’ve been explaining the new legislation to their owners, as well as its benefits."

He cautioned against the dangers of cats without microchips, which poses a challenge in connecting lost pets with their owners.

Mr Ward added: "we regularly see cats that are lost or have been in accidents that don’t have a microchip.

"Unfortunately, these beloved pets then end up in rehoming centres.

"Implanting a microchip is a quick process and our clinics are currently microchipping cats at a reduced price, or they’re free as part of our Complete Wellness Plan."

The updated laws come on the heels of similar rules introduced in 2016 requiring all dogs to be microchipped by the age of eight weeks.

According to research by Battersea, a cat and dog rescue centre, the number of stray dogs handled by local authorities fell by 66 per cent between 2016 and 2021.

However, in 2021, only 26 per cent of stray dogs with a microchip had correct, up-to-date owner details on an official microchip database.

White Cross Vets has been offering pet care services for 85 years.

It was established in West Yorkshire in 1937, and currently employs a team of 300 across 21 practices in the UK.

To learn more about White Cross Vets, you can visit their website.