According to data provided to Lusa by SIAC, 192,725 dogs, 133,585 cats and 392 ferrets have been identified this year.

These numbers were requested when one year had passed since the end of the 36-month transition period for the identification of cats and ferrets born before the October 2019 decree-law came into force, which defines the registration obligation.

Suggesting that many animals remain to be identified, the Institute of Nature Conservation and Forests (ICNF) announced in Lus that “an awareness campaign is underway on responsibility for pets as well as their identification.”

The ICNF said that at the end of this year the results of the National Wandering Animal Census Programme, the protocol for which was established in 2021 with the University of Aveiro, will be known.

“The purpose of this census is to understand the number and welfare of stray animals (dogs and cats) roaming public lands and to determine potential impacts on a national scale,” the university states on its website.

The purpose of pet identification is “to combat home abandonment and its consequences for human health and safety and animal welfare.”

Currently, SIAC has 3,079 animal discovery cases and 27,050 open missing animal cases.

The SIAC source warns that these figures should be read carefully because “every time a missing animal case or a case of an animal found by a third party is opened, the member is asked to report it as soon as the animal is returned.” owner to close the process,” which doesn’t always happen.

The Pet Information System resulted from the merger of the System for Identification and Recovery of Animals (SIRA), in operation since 1992, and the System for Identification and Registration of Dogs and Cats (SICAFE), created in 2003.

When combining the two systems’ data with SIAC data, 3,277,275 dogs and 761,296 cats were identified, but pet owners do not always report their deaths.

ICNF also warns that in addition to microchipping the animal, registration with SIAC is required.

“Unfortunately, there are those who continue to microchip without registering them (animals), which is ultimately “useless” because if lost, stolen or abandoned, the owner of the animal cannot be contacted. animal”.