Some 82,770 cats and nearly 76,000 dogs were registered in Flanders in 2024. While the number of cats was similar to the 2023 figure, dog registrations decreased by nearly 9,000.
Pet registrations as a whole declined for the third consecutive year: registrations have been on the decline since the COVID-19 peak in 2021, when 112,961 dogs were registered.
A mandatory identification and registration requirement has been in effect since 1998 for dogs, and since 2017 for cats. Pets that are sold must be registered in the DogID or CatID databases. This helps in reuniting lost pets with their owners and allows authorities to track trends.
“Registering and microchipping your cat or dog takes very little time,” said Flemish Minister for Animal Welfare Ben Weyts. “The chip ensures that your pet can always be safely returned home, no matter how far it may have strayed. My cats Frisco and Noël, and my dog Sepp are well-registered because I would never want to lose them.”
The common street dog (Canis vulgaris) remains the most popular breed, followed by the Dachshund and Chihuahua. For cats, the European Shorthair is the most favoured breed.
Max and Luna are the top dog names, while Simba and Nala are the preferred names for cats.
