Mid and East Antrim Council opposes unfunded animal welfare duties amid cat microchipping consultation

Mid and East Antrim Borough Council has raised concerns over the potential cost of proposed animal welfare changes that could require pet cats to be microchipped.

The Department of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs (DAERA) is carrying out a public consultation on a series of proposed reforms to animal welfare policy in Northern Ireland.

The department is seeking views on measures including increased dog licence fees, the regulation of rescue and rehoming organisations, strengthened microchipping requirements for dogs and a possible requirement for pet cats to be microchipped.

Under the proposals, rescue and rehoming organisations may require a licence to operate, with councils responsible for investigating breaches and taking enforcement action where necessary.

The consultation also includes proposals to ban certain training devices and strengthen existing rules by requiring puppies to be microchipped by the age of eight weeks.

In addition, DAERA is seeking views on whether mandatory microchipping of pet cats should be introduced in Northern Ireland.

A draft response from Mid and East Antrim Borough Council was presented for consideration at a meeting of the Neighbourhoods and Communities Committee in The Braid, Ballymena, on Tuesday evening, June 16.

The response states that the council does not support proposals that would require all rescue and rehoming organisations rehoming more than five or eight animals per year to be inspected and licensed.

While supporting the overall aim of improving animal welfare standards and addressing gaps in the currently unregulated rescue and rehoming sector, the council argues that regulatory efforts should focus on larger-scale organisations where activity is more frequent and potentially commercial in nature, rather than individuals who carry out occasional rehoming in a domestic setting.

The council also stressed that, although it welcomes measures designed to improve animal welfare, it does not agree that councils should be given responsibility for licensing and enforcement in relation to rescue and rehoming organisations.

Members were told that any move by DAERA to make councils responsible for implementing future changes to animal welfare legislation without providing adequate ongoing funding would have significant financial implications.

It was noted that around 70 per cent of dog licences are currently issued at the concessionary rate of £5.

The council’s consultation response calls for the concessionary fee to be removed, arguing that administration costs exceed the income generated. However, it also acknowledges that, in the current financial climate, higher licence costs could discourage some owners from licensing their animals and potentially increase non-compliance.

The council further stated that the use of hand-held, remote-controlled electric shock collars on dogs and cats should be banned.

Addressing the proposal for mandatory cat microchipping, the local authority said it has no role in the ownership, traceability or identification of cats.

The response stated:

“In general, council officers recognise that microchipping may assist in reuniting lost cats with owners, help identify cats involved in traffic accidents and assist in identifying former owners where cats have been abandoned.”

However, it added:

“We believe the objectives can be achieved without the imposition of a mandatory legal requirement to microchip cats through the promotion of overall responsible cat ownership led by DAERA.”

The response also warned that compulsory microchipping could place additional financial pressure on pet owners.

It stated:

“Due to the current cost-of-living crisis, the responsibility of microchipping a pet cat through vets and the cost incurred would add an undue burden to individuals, especially where there are households with multiple cats.”

Speaking at the meeting, Larne Lough DUP Councillor Gregg McKeen expressed concern about additional responsibilities being transferred from central government to councils and the potential cost to ratepayers.

“The trend is more and more from central government to be passed to local government,” he said.

A council officer told members there would be “no money coming with it” and that the proposals would create “a lot of extra work for staff”.

Ballymena Alliance Councillor Jack Gibson acknowledged concerns around resources but said he would have liked to have seen “a more constructive response” from the council.

The consultation closes on June 30.