Microchipped stray cat - legal obligations

Re: Microchipped stray cat - legal obligations

Thomas Johnson — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 08:36:49 GMT

[quote user="Emma Cartwright"]

What should I have done? I felt it was my professional responsibility to contact the registered owners, but actually should I have just left it up to Petlog?What have I got myself mixed up in?

[/quote]

I would have done the same as you, the person who had the microchip implanted is the legal owner, and they have had their property marked to make sure it could be returned to them if lost.

Re: Microchipped stray cat - legal obligations

Hannah Wynne Richards — Thu, 22 Jan 2015 08:34:38 GMT

My sympathy. Good luck with the diplomacy.

Wynne

Re: Microchipped stray cat - legal obligations

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 23:02:08 GMT

As long as you haven't released the new client's details without their permission, you have done nothing wrong. It sounds like, in this case, there was always going to be a nasty fallout. Usually, once the new owners have thought about it (or have it pointed out to them), they develop some empathy about how they would feel if someone else adopted their cat and wouldn't give it back!

Re: Microchipped stray cat - legal obligations

Andrew Kent — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 21:55:07 GMT

I would think according to the RCVS guidance on this matter you did the right thing, see HERE

Re: Microchipped stray cat - legal obligations

Nicola Cole — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 21:06:30 GMT

Personally I would phone the registered owners to inform them the cat had been found. If they were happy the cat had found a new home (missing for 4 years!) then cat would go home with new owners. If they weren't happy and wanted cat back and the 'new owners' still wanted the cat, or if I was unable to contact the registered owners by phone I would phone rcvs to see how to proceed. Best scenario for the cat if been in its new home for 4 years is to stay there and hopefully that is what happens!

Re: Microchipped stray cat - legal obligations

Gillian Mostyn — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 21:01:27 GMT

Hmm.... Difficult one.

The 'new owners' should not have simply adopted a strange cat without checking it didn't belong to somebody else...getting it checked for a chip seems an obvious thing. Anyone can persuade a cat to stay with the right food...they are easily bribed. The rights are all with the old owner, who went to the trouble and expense of chipping precisely for this reason!

However, I would not have sent a letter. I would have made initial phone calls, and then left it to the new owners and petlog to chase it further. It is impossible to have the 'right conversation' in a letter. This situation would need to be handled sensitively.

(I had a similar situation with a lab.... It remained with the new owners but stayed in contact with the old ones.)

Re: Microchipped stray cat - legal obligations

Michael Woodhouse — Wed, 21 Jan 2015 20:46:21 GMT

My view (might not be popular, but that's not stopped me before) -

You let a cat out of the house alone. It goes where it wants. Cat decides if it is coming home. Might decide to live somewhere else. You let the bloody thing out - more fool you.

With a dog they are accompanied out (unless escaped).

I would make every attempt to contact a dog owner, bit not with cat. Should it be different - I don't know.