Pets Microchips Bill set to be heard in Parliament

Gizmo's Legacy founder Heléna Abrahams, and James Daly MP for Bury North, are joining forces to push forward the campaign for Gizmo's Law to be passed in Parliament, following the first reading of The Pets (Microchips) Bill on 9 March.

Gizmo's Law will ensure that deceased cats are scanned for microchips by UK councils so that bereaved pet owners can get closure.

Heléna, 51, a cat sitter from Bury, is the driving force behind the campaign for Gizmo's Law. The campaign first started in 2016, when her beloved cat Gizmo, was disposed of after being hit by a car, with no attempt made to reunite her with her beloved pet.

Since then, Heléna formed Gizmo's Legacy and Gizmo's Army, a network of over 1,000 volunteers across the UK, who search the streets day and night, to check dead cats for microchips before they are disposed of. A petition started by Heléna garnered over 107,000 signatures from across the UK, with the most support of anywhere in the country being Heywood and Middleton (634 signatures), and Rochdale (607 signatures).
 

Read more: Gizmo’s Legacy petition debated in ParliamentPublished: 24 June 2019

The campaigner now has cross-party support from Bury North MP James Daly and Luke Pollard, the Labour (Co-op) MP for Plymouth, Sutton and Devonport, who along with the 1,000-strong Gizmo's Army of volunteers, are delighted that following a delay in the campaign due to the pandemic, they are another step closer the Bill becoming law.

Heléna said: “This law can’t come quickly enough so that our pets are shown the respect they deserve and so that pet owners are able to have closure. The campaign for Gizmo's Law has been my whole life, for the last six years and we have to do this for the deceased cats and their owners.”

 

 

Currently, drivers are not obliged to report running over a cat, and council road sweepers do not have to check for a microchip containing the owner’s details, before disposing of the body. Some councils do scan for microchips to inform owners, but it is not a legal obligation. The Pets (Microchips) Bill would also make it compulsory for vets to scan dogs for chips before putting them down.

Bury North MP, James Daly, said: “Gizmo's Legacy is an important animal welfare provision and I am grateful that I have had the opportunity to support in Parliament the many years of tireless campaigning by Heléna Abrahams and Wendy Andrew, the driving force behind Gizmo's Legacy.

“I wish to pay tribute not only to Heléna and Wendy but the whole team who are dedicated to reuniting much-loved pets with their owners and I will continue to fight until Gizmo's Legacy is on the statute book.”

Heléna added: “I want to thank James Daly and his team for everything they have done for us. It means the world and they are amazing. I also want to thank our volunteers, who work tirelessly 365 days a year to make sure they get to as many deceased cats as possible, so that they are reunited with their owners. We will not give up on Gizmo's Law and we are going to do it this time.”

Pet Food company, Encore is backing the campaign and have pledged to donate scanners, to scan deceased animals for microchips, to all councils.

To join Gizmo's Legacy or to find out more about the campaign, visit the Gizmo's Legacy Facebook page.