EU member states have approved the bloc’s first harmonised rules on the welfare, breeding, identification and traceability of cats and dogs.
The new legislation sets common requirements for breeders, sellers, shelters and online platforms involved in placing cats and dogs on the EU market, and introduces mandatory identification and registration systems intended to allow animals to be traced across the Union, the Council of the EU informed on Friday.
Concerns about illegal trafficking, irresponsible breeding and the growth of online pet sales have exposed animals and consumers to “significant risks”, it added.
“Today’s adoption sends a clear message: animal welfare matters in Europe,” said Maria Panayiotou, Cyprus’s Minister of Agriculture, Rural Development and Environment, in a statement published by the Council.
What the new EU rules cover
Stricter welfare requirements will apply to breeding, housing, handling and veterinary care under the regulation, the Council said.
Cats and dogs with “extreme conformational traits” — physical features linked to their body shape — will be excluded from competitions, shows or exhibitions.
Online advertisements for cats and dogs will have to include verifiable identification information, while imports from non-EU countries will be required to meet equivalent welfare and traceability standards.
The Council said the regulation will progressively introduce mandatory identification and registration requirements for cats and dogs placed on the market or kept in the EU, including privately owned animals, with phased implementation periods.
The regulation will enter into force 20 days after publication in the EU’s Official Journal, with transitional periods for some provisions.
