Why must we microchip?

A couple of years ago my small Russian Blue cat went missing from the front of my house. It was just after 9pm two weeks before Christmas when my son went outside to talk to a friend, the cat went out with him but didn't come back in.

She was a house cat and was desexed, microchiped and registered with the council and as a responsible pet owner I had done all the right things.

When she was still missing the following morning I phoned the vet to tell him she was missing and to ask him if he would check for the microchip on any Russian Blues taken to him. I was stunned when he told me there was no point in him checking for the chip as each and every time he had requested chip details from council it had refused to provide them.

I phoned council and spoke to the usual arrogant council employee who confirmed council does not provide microchip details due to the privacy law. I told the woman I had microchiped my cat with the view it would help get her back if this situation ever occured. The woman reiterated council does not give out that information and went on to tell me it was my own fault that my cat had wandered off.

I then phoned the RSPCA who were very helpful and agreed with me that my cat had not wandered off and suggested she had been taken by children and would be somewhere only a few streets away. I was then advised to doorknock and do a letterbox drop which I did.

Despite the lack of help on the part of council my story does have a happy ending with the cat returning six nights later.

Problem: Why are we forced to microchip our pets when the information will never be used? Is it just another grab for cash on the part of the council? Is it a State regualtion or local government?

Solution: If council will not provide microchip information pet owners should not be forced to microchip their animals. If on the other hand it is a State regulation council should be forced to provide the information if the animal turns up without it's owner.

Perhaps council or one of our State members would like to comment and tell us exactly why we are forced to microchip.

• Hills (The) Shire Council
• Not Fixed
• Compliance