Legal Reform Urged After Deceased Cat Discovered in Waste Bin

An animal welfare advocate in Plymouth is advocating for legislative changes following her discovery of a deceased cat discarded in a shared refuse container. Dawn Lapthorn stated that she located the feline, which she believed had been struck by a vehicle, in the Stonehouse district on 1 December. The owner, Rachel Rogers, was afforded the opportunity for a “final cuddle” with her cat, named Elodie, due to its current microchip information. The RSPCA declared its “firmly supported” stance on amending legislation to mandate that motorists involved in collisions with cats must legally halt and inform law enforcement. Ms Rogers expressed feeling “traumatised” yet appreciative of being reconnected with Elodie and achieving a sense of closure. She recounted seeing the six-year-old tabby the preceding evening and growing concerned when it failed to respond to her calls. The subsequent day, she mentioned receiving a text message from Ms Lapthorn after the microchip had been scanned. Ms Rogers said: “I felt so sorry for her and so traumatised by her last hours. “I’m glad Elodie came back to me, and I could have that final cuddle to say goodbye properly.” As of 10 June, it became mandatory for felines exceeding 20 weeks of age to be microchipped, with their information required to be current on a designated pet microchipping database. Ms Lapthorn emphasized the significance of recovering Elodie to facilitate scanning the microchip. She remarked: “There’s nothing worse than not knowing what has happened to your beloved pet,” adding, “That is the whole point of microchipping, to identify the owner and give them the closure that they need.” She suggested that individuals should, at a minimum, attempt to transport such animals to veterinary clinics or share information on local Facebook communities. Ms Lapthorn further commented: “There are plenty of people like me who will go out and try and retrieve any animal that we know to be owned and just try and get them home.” She continued: “If you see a deceased animal at the side of the road and it is safe for you to stop then try and pick up if you are able to and take to the nearest vets.” She concluded: “If you are not able to, then please don’t just throw it away like a piece of rubbish – because they are not – that is somebody’s pet.” An RSPCA representative stated that motorists ought to be obligated to file a police report if they strike a cat. The spokesperson remarked: “The same way they currently do for dogs, pigs, horses, cattle and goats.” They added: “However we would always encourage motorists to stop – if it is safe to do – to see if they can help the cat by taking it to a vet for treatment and to be scanned so owner details can be obtained from a microchip.” The spokesperson concluded: “Since 2016, the Highways Agency agreed to scan dogs found dead on roads for microchips and we would like to see the same protection for pet cats as we understand how heartbreaking it is for people to lose a much-loved pet and how important it is for them to find out what has happened to them.” For further updates, follow BBC Devon on X, Facebook, and Instagram. Story suggestions can be sent to spotlight@bbc.co.uk. This content is Copyright 2024 BBC. All rights reserved. The BBC bears no responsibility for the material found on external websites. Information regarding our external linking policy is available.