By 558 votes in favour, 35 against, and with 52 abstentions, MEPs gave their final green light to the first ever EU standards for the breeding, housing, traceability, import and handling of cats and dogs.
The new regulation, already agreed with Council, introduces an obligation for all dogs and cats kept in the EU, including those in private ownership, to be identifiable with microchips and registered in interoperable national databases. Sellers, breeders and shelters will have four years from the entry into force of the legislation to prepare for this. For pet owners who do not sell animals, the obligation will kick in after 10 years for dogs, and after 15 for cats.
Ban on commercial practices leading to abuses and health risks
Breeding between parents and their offspring, grandparents and grandchildren, as well as between siblings and half-siblings, will be forbidden. The breeding of dogs or cats to give them exaggerated or excessive traits that lead to significant health risks will also be banned.
The new measures include a prohibition on the mutilation of dogs and cats for shows, exhibitions, or competitions. Tying a dog or a cat to an object (tethering), except when necessary for medical treatment, and the use of prong and choke collars without built-in safety mechanisms, will also be prohibited.
Dogs and cats from non-EU countries
To close loopholes that allow dogs and cats to enter the EU as non-commercial pets only to be subsequently sold, the new legislation covers not only imports for commercial purposes but also non-commercial animal movements.
Dogs and cats imported from non-EU countries for sale will have to be microchipped before they enter the EU, and then registered in a national database. Pet owners entering the EU will be obliged to pre-register their microchipped animal on a database at least five working days before arrival, unless it is already registered in an EU country’s database.
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Rapporteur and Agriculture and Rural Development Committee chair, Veronika Vrecionová (ECR, CZ), said: “Today we have taken an important step towards bringing real order to the trade in dogs and cats in the European Union. Our message is clear: a pet is a family member, not an object or a toy. We finally have stronger rules on breeding and traceability that will help us push back against those who see animals as a means of making a quick profit. At the same time, we are levelling the playing field for honest breeders in the EU.”
Next steps
The legislation now needs to be adopted by the Council before it can enter into force.
Background
Around 44% of EU citizens have a pet and 74% believe their welfare should be better protected. The trade in dogs and cats has grown considerably in recent years and is worth €1.3 billion a year. According to the Commission, around 60% of owners purchase their dogs or cats online. In the absence of animal welfare standards for dogs and cats across EU countries, the Commission proposed the new rules on 7 December 2023.
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