How dogs and cats will be protected from abuse. Binding to an object, prohibited by law in the EU
MEPs on Tuesday gave the final go-ahead to the EU's first standards for the breeding, housing, traceability, import and handling of cats and dogs.
The European Parliament has adopted a bill that aims to stop abusive practices, reduce acts of cruelty and protect the health of cats and dogs, according to a statement from the EU legislature.
The project was adopted with 558 votes “for”, 35 “against” and 52 abstentions.
The new regulation, already agreed with the Council, introduces the obligation that all dogs and cats owned in the EU, including those in private ownership, can be identified with microchips and registered in interoperable national databases, notes Agerpres.
Sellers, breeders and shelters will have four years after the legislation comes into effect to prepare. For pet owners who do not sell animals, the obligation will come into force after 10 years for dogs and after 15 years for cats.
Breeding between parents and offspring, grandparents and grandchildren, as well as siblings and half-siblings, will be prohibited. Breeding dogs or cats to give them exaggerated or excessive traits that lead to significant health risks will also be prohibited.
The new measures include a ban on the mutilation of dogs and cats for shows, exhibitions or competitions.
Tying a dog or cat to an object, unless necessary for medical treatment, as well as the use of force collars for training and choke collars without built-in safety mechanisms, will also be prohibited, the text of the law states.
To close loopholes that allow dogs and cats to enter the EU as non-commercial pets only to be sold later, the new legislation covers not only commercial imports but also the non-commercial movement of animals.
Dogs and cats imported from non-EU countries for sale will need to be microchipped before entering the EU and then registered in a national database.
Pet owners entering the EU will be required to pre-register their microchipped pet in a database at least five working days before arrival, unless the pet is already registered in an EU country's database.
“Today we took an important step towards improving the trade in dogs and cats in the European Union. Our message is clear: a pet is a member of the family, not an object or a toy. We finally have stricter rules on breeding and traceability, which will help us fight against those who see animals as a means of making a quick profit,” said Veronika Vrecionova of the European Conservatives and Reformists (ECR) group, rapporteur and head of the Committee on agriculture and rural development.
The legislation must now be passed by the Council before it can come into force.
Around 44% of EU citizens have a pet and 74% think their welfare should be better protected.
The trade in dogs and cats has grown considerably in recent years and amounts to 1.3 billion euros per year. According to the Commission, around 60% of owners buy their dogs or cats online.
