European Parliament proposes stricter rules on dog and cat welfare, ban on sale in pet shops
A draft law approved by the European Parliament on June 19 lays down the first ever minimum EU standards for the breeding, housing, and handling of cats and dogs.
The European Parliament adopted its position on EU rules for the welfare and traceability of dogs and cats by 457 votes to 17, with 86 abstentions.
MEPs want all dogs and cats kept in the EU to be individually identifiable with a microchip.
They also demand that microchipped dogs and cats be registered in interoperable national databases.
Microchip identification numbers, along with information about the corresponding national database, should be stored in a single index database managed by the European Commission.
Keeping or selling dogs and cats in pet shops must be prohibited, say MEPs.
To close potential loopholes that would allow dogs and cats to enter the EU as non-commercial pets only to be subsequently sold, MEPs want to extend the rules to cover not only imports for commercial purposes but also non-commercial movements of the animals.
Dogs and cats imported from non-EU countries for sale would have to be microchipped before their entry into the EU, and then registered in a national database.
Pet owners entering the EU would be obliged to pre-register their microchipped animal on an online database, at least five working days before arrival.
Breeding between parents and offspring, grandparents and grandchildren, as well as between siblings and half-siblings, must be prohibited, say MEPs.
MEPs also want a ban on the breeding of dogs or cats that have excessive conformational traits leading to a high risk of detrimental effects on their welfare, as well as a prohibition on these animals – and mutilated dogs and cats – being used in shows, exhibitions, or competitions.
Tethering, except when necessary for medical treatment, and the use of prong and choke collars without safety tops must be prohibited, the MEPs say.
(Photo: Clive Leviev-Sawyer)
