MEPs: Vote for better protection for Europe’s dogs and cats

Honored Members of the European Parliament,

The European Union has a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to make the trade in dogs and cats safer. In 2023 the Eurobarometer showed that 74% of EU citizens want more protection for these species. It is now in your hands to end the illegal trade with strong legislation that closes existing loopholes. These loopholes have for decades allowed the cruel, backyard breeding to flourish, as well as the international trafficking of illegally bred, sick and underage animals. All this at the expense of the internal market, fair competition, consumer safety, public health and finance, and, not least, animal welfare.

The dog trade in the European Union is booming, with an estimated annual value of 4,6 billion Euros. Yet, the lack of harmonised traceability facilitates the sale of dogs and cats from unknown sources with little accountability and liability. Very often illegal breeders pretend they are private people to smuggle their dogs or cats across borders. Meanwhile, unwanted animals can be abandoned without consequences. The only way to stop the illegal trade and ensure anyone behind an animal can be found, is to have all dogs and cats identified (microchipped) and registered to those responsible for them in an animal database.

While the cost of chipping and registration is negligeable, also compared to the overall cost of care, the benefits of chipping and registration are insurmountable: It

  • makes breeders/sellers traceable
  • deters illegal breeding
  • tracks the owners of animals found lost, abandoned or abused, whose care often burdens municipalities and shelters
  • allows reunion of lost or stolen animals with their owners
  • helps enforcement authorities to verify suspected smuggling
  • provides the means to ensure a safer online pet trade
  • allows to identify the source in case of disease outbreaks

Registration is a simple process, and the infrastructure is already available in all Member States.

To better protect animals and consumers, only dogs and cats which are provenly registered to those offering them should be allowed to be advertised online. Simple technical solutions to verify registrations for online platforms are already operational and deliver results.

Identification and Registration of all dogs and cats is the key to a safer, fairer and transparent pet trade, and a powerful tool to promote responsible ownership in the EU. Since 2012, the European Parliament has adopted four Resolutions on the matter.

We count on you to support these much-awaited measures in your capacity as a Member of the AGRI Committee, so that the illegal pet trade is eliminated and the EU becomes a better place for dogs and cats. This is a crucial moment. We urge you to support a strong and ambitious position that ensures full traceability, protects animal welfare, and prevents any watering down of the proposed rules.

Undersigning,

https://help.four-paws.org/en/end-the-EU-puppy-trade

 

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