On Tuesday, 29 April, the European Parliament adopted a significant legislative measure to eliminate abusive practices, curb inhumane business methods, and safeguard the health and welfare of cats and dogs. With a decisive vote of 558 in favour, 35 against, and 52 abstentions, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) gave final approval to the introduction of the first-ever EU standards on the breeding, housing, traceability, import, and handling of cats and dogs.
“Today we have taken an important step towards bringing real order to the trade in dogs and cats in the European Union. Our message is clear: a pet is a family member, not an object or a toy. We finally have stronger rules on breeding and traceability that will help us push back against those who see animals as a means of making a quick profit. At the same time, we are levelling the playing field for honest breeders in the EU,” rapporteur and Agriculture and Rural Development Committee chair, Veronika Vrecionová (ECR, CZ), said.
This newly enacted regulation, which has been mutually agreed with the Council, establishes a requirement that all dogs and cats kept within the EU—regardless of private ownership—be identifiable through microchips and registered in interoperable national databases. Sellers, breeders, and shelters will have four years following the legislation’s implementation to ensure compliance. For pet owners who do not engage in animal sales, the obligation will commence after 10 years for dogs and 15 years for cats.
Prohibitions on practices leading to abuses and health risks
The new legislation explicitly forbids breeding practices involving parents with their offspring, grandparents with their grandchildren, and siblings and half-siblings. Additionally, breeding dogs or cats to emphasise exaggerated or excessive traits that pose significant health risks is prohibited. The regulations also ban any forms of mutilation of dogs and cats intended for shows, exhibitions, or competitions. Furthermore, tethering a dog or cat to an object—except for medical necessity—is prohibited, as is the use of prong or choke collars that lack built-in safety mechanisms.
Regulatory framework for dogs and cats from non-EU countries
To address potential loopholes that allow dogs and cats to enter the EU as non-commercial pets before being sold, the legislation covers not only commercial imports but also non-commercial animal movements. Dogs and cats imported from non-EU countries for sale must be microchipped before entering the EU and subsequently registered in a national database. Additionally, pet owners arriving in the EU must pre-register their microchipped animals in a database at least five working days before their arrival, unless those animals are already registered in an EU member state’s database. This legislation now awaits adoption by the Council before it can come into effect.
