In 2023, the European Commission, in a historic move, published a Proposal for a new Regulation on the Welfare of Dogs and Cats, and their Traceability. When adopted, this legislation will, for the first time in the history of EU law, establish animal welfare standards for breeders of cats and dogs, mandate microchipping as part of the sales process, and strengthen regulations to reduce the risks of illegal trafficking.
This proposal is ground-breaking because until now EU legislation had only dealt with companion animals as vectors of disease (in animal health regulations) or as commodities (in transport legislation), rather than sentient beings whose existence carries an ethical component.
The legislative proposal has now reached the amendment stage, where Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) submit changes to the initial draft, which are then voted on by the Parliament as a whole. This is a crucial stage in the life of this legislation because, while this proposal has the potential to be revolutionary for cats and dogs in the EU, it needs to extend several key measures to unlock its full power and ensure lasting change for animal welfare across the continent.
The recent discussions that took place at committee-level (29 January) showed that consensus among MEPs was within reach. However, such a consensus needs to be stronger to capitalize on this unprecedented opportunity to change the lives of millions of animals.
The first game-changing amendment MEPs must push for is the mandatory microchipping and registration of all cats and dogs across the Union. Currently, the proposal calls for the mandatory registration only of cats and dogs who are sold by commercial breeders. However, the mandatory registration of all cats and dogs, including those born in private homes, is needed to ensure that all companion animals receive adequate treatment, are prevented from being trafficked, and can be reunited with their guardians in the event that they are lost.
In some instances, registration could be a valuable tool to identify and prosecute neglectful and abusive owners, especially in the case of pet abandonment, which is widespread in the EU. This obligation to register animals should also apply to online sellers before they advertise an animal for sale, which would effectively end the illegal trafficking of cats and dogs that has become endemic in Europe over the past two decades.
A second crucial amendment would be to make national databases of registered cats and dogs interoperable, ensuring their effectiveness if a pet is lost in a country other than the one where it was registered. The EU is uniquely positioned to implement this simple yet powerful measure, which would instantly boost cross-border reunifications and protect pets on a continent-wide scale.
A third and final amendment that would make this legislation truly revolutionary for the EU’s cats and dogs: MEPs must mandate minimum criminal penalties for those who violate these critical welfare standards, sending a strong message that animal cruelty will not be tolerated. Currently, companion animal abuse by professional breeders and private citizens is hardly penalized in the criminal law of the 27 EU Member States, allowing grievous abusers to walk with nothing more than a slap on the wrist.
This legislation, however, offers MEPs an unprecedented opportunity to tackle a critical gap on an EU-wide scale, setting a bold standard for animal welfare across the Union. Strengthening deterrent penalties would also send a powerful message of support to animal advocates and shelters, who bear the secondary brunt of abuse and abandonment, with animals being the primary victims.
As it stands, the legislation on companion animals sets the ground for the recognition of the human-animal bond, the uniqueness of animal life, and the species-specific needs of companion animals. These common-sense measures are not just necessary; they are a reflection of the values that the EU holds dear—compassion, responsibility, and respect for all living beings.
However, a crucial question remains: will MEPs rise to the occasion and make history by extending these reforms so that they are much more far-reaching and universal? Or will the Parliament only travel half the distance, leaving millions of cats and dogs across Europe at risk? The choice is in their hands, and millions of EU citizens who value and cherish companion animals will remember what they decide.
