EU: initial agreement reached on European legislation for the protection of dogs and cats
The provisional agreement will now be approved by both the Council of the European Union and the European Parliament before being formally adopted and entering into force.
The new regulation introduces stricter minimum welfare standards for breeding facilities and comprehensive traceability of animals through official identification and registration systems. This will allow for much more effective control and drastically limit the ability of illegal breeders and traders to operate in the shadows.
The regulation will apply to kennels that produce more than five litters per year, a measure designed to target intensive puppy farms. However, there remains concern that this threshold may exclude some breeders unregulated, leaving a grey area in the sector.
One of the most critical exclusions concerns dogs considered to be livestock guard dogs, hunting dogs and dogs and cats on farms, which are not covered by the legislation. It is estimated that this decision leaves approximately 18 million cats and 2 million dogs in the European Union without adequate protection, despite being sentient animals that also need protection.
As Save the Dogs, we welcome this news as a historic milestone, the result of more than ten years of work together with other animal protection organisations. It is an achievement that marks a turning point in the consideration and protection of companion animals at European level.
However, it will be essential to closely monitor the application and implementation of the measures and to continue working to ensure that the current gaps are filled, leading to comprehensive protection without distinctions based on the role or category of animals.
It will now be crucial for Member States to ensure the rapid and effective application of the new rules and for this achievement to be a starting point for further strengthening European animal welfare policies.
