Cats Protection has welcomed Minister of Agriculture, Environment and Rural Affairs Andrew Muir’s proposals for a host of measures to improve animal welfare in Northern Ireland as a “huge step forward.”

The charity says the Animal Welfare Pathway, announced on May 22, contains measures which will have a positive impact on the lives of cats and the people who care for them.

Cats Protection Advocacy & Government Relations Officer for Northern Ireland Alice Palombo said: “These plans are a huge step forward for Northern Ireland and we will be doing everything we can to help bring them into action drive them forward. We look forward to working with Minister Muir and his department to make a better life for cats in Northern Ireland.

“The proposals include a plan to ban the sale of kittens by third parties, which will mean only breeders themselves can sell them. This will help stamp out the murky backstreet breeding of kittens which puts profit before welfare. Not only will this protect cats and kittens from being kept in poor conditions, it will also help prevent buyers from being scammed by unscrupulous sellers.

“It is also great to see a commitment to look into compulsory microchipping for cats in Northern Ireland by examining how this new law has been working in England. Northern Ireland consistently has the lowest cat microchipping rates in the UK. Microchips are the safest and quickest way to reunite a cat with their owner- without one they might never be reunited with their family. A cat without a microchip also puts a strain on rehoming organisations like Cats Protection. Our team has to try and locate the owners of the cat without a microchip, which takes up space in our pens for cats that need us the most.

“In addition, it is very encouraging that there are plans look into banning shock collars, or aversive training aids. These are cruel, outdated products and cause pain and distress to pets, and we hope these plans will bring us closer to a ban.”

To find out more about Cats Protection’s campaigns to improve cat welfare, please visit www.cats.org.uk