Millions of cat owners could be expected to get their cats microchipped or face fines under new government plans as the number of felines being stolen has risen sharply during the pandemic.

At TeamDogs, our brand new sister site, we don’t do politics – we love big and small breeds equally, and if you vote to let your pup sleep on your bed that’s entirely up to you – but we couldn’t help but notice that another Cabinet minister has recently become a dog owner.

The move also marks the first time that a shelter dog has lived in the White House, as the president and his family adopted Major in 2018 from the Delaware Humane Society.

Experts are sure the dogs could detect the virus and just need samples from patients to teach them the smell (Picture: Getty Images)Six dogs have been picked and could be trained in six to eight weeks, the charity says, but £500,000 in funding and samples from coronavirus patients are needed to complete their training.

As frontline workers, cleaners deserve better pay and conditions, writes Mike Cash , RMT general secretary, and Audrey Butler believes we are all key to society.Meanwhile, Lucy Matthews is emphatic that the Pets at Home stores do provide an essential service.

• Christine Allen, of the Catholic Agency for Overseas Development, writes of the excellent work being carried out to counter climate change by many people in the Catholic church (Letters , 13 July). • Read more Guardian letters – click here to visit

The Kennel Club has placed the Scottish terrier on its at-risk register as people favour trendier designer cross-breeds such as the cockapoo and labradoodle, and migrants such as the French bulldog and miniature dachshund. Pinterest President George W Bush had Scotties Barney and Miss Beazley during his tenure at the White House.

Campaigners say this can disrupt a dog’s sensitive sense of smell, while other collars emit sounds which are painful for animals.Using electric collars on animals will be banned (Image: PA)The RSPCA’s dog welfare expert, Dr Samantha Gaines applauded the government’s move to ban shock collars.Dr Gaines said: “These cruel collars have been illegal in Wales since 2010 and we've long been calling for them to be outlawed in England too.

When Benjamin Netanyahu, the Israeli Prime Minister, says that Hamas “pile up as many civilian dead as they can” to make Israel look bad, he is speaking from a mind-set that has informed the political attitude of Israel’s leaders for many years.