New cat legislation in the northern town of Akureyri covers nearly every aspect of a cat’s life, down to how many cats can live in a household.
RÚV reports that the newly passed city ordinance requires cat owners to have their cat registered, insured, and fitted with an identification microchip. Owners have to pay a registration fee of 10,000 ISK, on top of a permit for 6,000 ISK, which must be renewed yearly.
All cats older than five months need to be spayed, and must wear a collar and tags at all times, bearing the cat’s registration number and its owner’s phone number. Owners are limited to three cats per household, presumably because the town is fast becoming overrun with cats.
The legislation still needs the approval of the environmental committee before it is ultimately passed.
Akureyri goes farther than many municipalities in Iceland do with cat legislation; charging a registration fee and for a yearly permit is uncommon, although not unheard of. Every town has its own particular cat legislation, often after a long political struggle. In Kópavogur, for example, Social Democrat Guðríður Arnardóttir has for years fought for changes to cat legislation, but has only recently seen her proposals approved.
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