Domestic
Cat owners must chip their pets starting in 2028
The Dutch government plans to mandate microchipping for all household cats from January 1, 2028, aiming to reduce the number of stray cats and reunite lost pets with their owners. State Secretary Silvio Erkens (VVD) notes that approximately 62,500 cats go missing annually in the Netherlands, with only 10 percent recovered by the Dierenbescherming. The measure mirrors the successful dog chipping policy, which has enabled the organization to return 90 percent of found dogs to their owners. While the requirement will apply to kittens born after the deadline, existing cats are exempt due to implementation complexities. Owners will bear the cost of 25 to 55 euros per cat, which the government will not reimburse.
Ozetta summarises; the reporting is the newsroom's