Negotiators from the European Parliament and the Council have reached an agreement to establish what will be the first European welfare law for dogs and cats; a framework that will strengthen the protection of pets with restrictions on breeding, mandatory microchipping and registration in national databases to combat the illegal trade in animals. The new legislation will still need to be formally adopted in the coming months by the European Parliament plenary and by the EU-27 before it can enter into force in all EU countries, where, according to EU data, there are more than 72 million dogs and 83 million cats, with an annual market value of €1.3 billion.
Once the regulation comes into force, sellers, breeders and shelters will have four years to adapt to all the new welfare requirements, while pet owners who do not intend to sell their animals will have a longer period to comply, 10 years in the case of dogs and 15 years in the case of cats. The same traceability and welfare standards will apply to imported animals, which must also be microchipped and, within a maximum of five days of entering the European Union, must be registered in one of the EU’s national databases, which will be interconnected to improve the monitoring of animal movements.
In the case of non-commercial movements, non-EU dogs and cats must also be registered by the owner within a maximum period of five days in an EU pet traveller database that will be created specifically under this new law.
European legislation will regulate the breeding of dogs and cats, for example by establishing a frequency limit and a minimum and maximum age for reproduction. Practices such as inbreeding will also be prohibited, unless necessary to preserve local breeds with a limited gene pool, as will the crossbreeding of a breed with wild species. Painful mutilations such as ear cropping, tail docking or claw removal are also prohibited, except in cases where it is medically indicated.
The welfare of the animal must be ensured by providing it with sufficient clean, fresh water and food, as well as adequate housing conditions. Aspects such as dogs over eight weeks old having daily access to an outdoor space or going for a daily walk are also regulated. As for the requirements for operators or establishments such as shelters, the new regulations establish the obligation for all animals to be microchipped and registered in national databases before being sold or donated. Caregivers must have adequate training on the behaviour and needs of the animals in their care, and visits by veterinarians to establishments where dogs and cats are kept must be guaranteed.
Requirements are also established, such as that the seller or shelter that delivers an animal must adequately inform the person taking it in of the obligations of ‘responsible’ ownership, and operators may not abandon cats or dogs. Female dogs and cats that have previously undergone two caesarean sections may not be used for breeding.
Finally, animals with extreme traits will be excluded from breeding to prevent these traits from being passed on to future generations if there is a high risk of a detrimental effect on their welfare or that of their offspring. Cats and dogs with extreme malformations or mutilations will be excluded from participating in competitions, shows or exhibitions.