More detailed rules are still being developed, but it is already clear that there will be no exceptions, although some cats will be able to legally live out their lives without a chip.
The future rules will list the categories of cats that must be microchipped from July 1, and for other animals this requirement will come into force later, after a transition period of at least three years, explained Agia Medina, a representative of the Ministry of Agriculture. It is planned that the draft rules of the Cabinet of Ministers will soon be published for public discussion.
Who can avoid being chipped?
Previously, there was a rule that indoor cats that walk outside must be sterilized, and now they also need to be microchipped and registered. The second key point is that all kittens born after July 1, without exception, must be microchipped, regardless of whether the owner gives them away, gives them away, or sells them.
As generations change, at least theoretically, all Latvian cats will gradually be microchipped.
When people try to argue why their pet doesn’t need a microchip, they often use the excuse that the cat only lives indoors and never goes outside.
“In real life, people often call us and ask us to help catch a cat that has run away from their apartment,” says Inese Laukšteine, head of the Nika Animal Welfare Society and owner of the Dzeņi animal shelter.
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2024-04-18 08:14:34