The European Parliament and Council have provisionally agreed the first ever legislation on the welfare of dogs and cats, set to significantly improve the way the animals are treated when bred, sold or adopted in the EU.
The new measures will also help clamp down on the illegal trade into and within the EU. Once adopted, the legislation will ensure uniform welfare standards apply across the EU when it comes to breeding, housing and care of dogs and cats in professional establishments.
Responsible ownership will be promoted and animal caretakers in breeding, selling establishments or shelters will need to have sufficient competence to look after dogs and cats, among other key provisions.
” We are introducing minimum animal welfare standards, establishing rules for traceability, and harmonising the legislation,” said Denmark’s Minister for Food, Agriculture and Fisheries Jacob Jensen, for the EU presidency: “It is a major European victory and an important step in the right direction for animal welfare in Europe.”
The main welfare principles ensured in the agreement are:
- breeding is regulated, with limits on frequency and a minimum and maximum age
- certain breeding practices are prohibited, such as inbreeding (breeding between parents and offspring, between siblings and half-siblings and between grandparents and grandchildren); the agreement clarifies that inbreeding can nevertheless be used to preserve local breeds with a limited genetic pool
- the breeding of hybrids (the result of crossbreeding with a wild species) is banned
- painful mutilations such as ear cropping, tail docking or the removal of claws are banned, except where such practices are medically indicated
- enough clean and fresh water, sufficient food and adequate housing conditions must be provided
- dogs must have daily access to an outdoor area or must be walked daily; this applies to dogs older than eight weeks
Requirements for operators and establishments are:
- all cats and dogs must be microchipped and registered in a national database before they are sold or donated; all databases will be interoperable with the databases in other EU countries and will be accessible online
- people taking care of cats or dogs must have a proper understanding of their behaviour and needs
- establishments must ensure visits from veterinarians
- when selling or donating cats or dogs, the person responsible for the animals has to raise awareness about responsible ownership
- operators must not abandon cats or dogs
- female cats and dogs who have had two caesarean sections will not be used for breeding, in order to protect their health and welfare
- cats and dogs with extreme traits should be excluded from breeding, to prevent passing these traits on to future generations if there is a high risk of a detrimental effect on their welfare or on the welfare of their offspring
- cats and dogs with extreme conformational traits or mutilations will be excluded from taking part in competitions, shows or exhibitions
In line with the Commission’s proposal, imports will be subject to the same or equivalent standards. This will enhance consumer protection and ensure the traceability of cats and dogs.
The cat or dog will have to be registered in an EU database. Dogs and cats imported for the purpose of being placed on the market need to be registered in a national database within five working days. Non-commercial movements will have to be registered in the EU’s pet travellers’ database by the owner at least five days in advance.
A pet travellers’ database will be created, giving member states an overview of non-commercial imports into the EU and thereby enable them to detect any suspicious movements.
The new Regulation must now formally be adopted by the Council and Parliament.
