New EU regulation: introduction of labeling and registration requirements, registration in online trading and minimum requirements for breeding adopted
Hamburg/Brussels. At EU level, the “Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability” was finally approved by a vote in the EU Parliament on April 28th. It is expected that the Council of the European Union will formally confirm the regulation within the next few weeks so that it can then come into force.
The global animal protection foundation FOUR PAWS comments on this: “Today's vote in the EU Parliament vastly improves the protection of millions of dogs and cats in the EU. Within four years, providers of dogs and cats must mark them with a transponder and register them in a pet register. After a transition period of ten years, the marking and registration requirement also applies to privately kept dogs, and after 15 years also to privately kept cats. A marking and registration requirement makes it possible “It makes it very difficult for illegal breeders and sellers to carry out their perfidious business anonymously. It also makes it easier to quickly reunite lost animals with their owners. We appeal to responsible breeders and all pet owners to have their animals chipped and registered today. We are demanding that the registration of dogs and cats be verified in online trading before a sales advertisement is published. This is the only way to really prevent animal suffering and to really protect consumers.” PAWS.
background
The regulation is expected to come into force in June 2026 and then apply throughout the European Union from June 2028, after a transition period of two years. The core of the regulation is an identification and registration requirement for dogs and cats. Starting in mid-2030, providers will be required to microchip dogs and cats and register them in a national database. From mid-2036, this identification and registration requirement will also apply to all privately kept dogs, and from mid-2041 also to privately kept cats. In FOUR PAWS' opinion, these rules on mandatory identification and registration will make the illegal pet trade much more difficult.
In order to combat illegal trade on online platforms, the regulation also provides for a verification system for dogs and cats offered on online platforms. In the future, it will be possible to verify the registration of dogs and cats in online retail. In addition, Europe-wide minimum standards are being introduced for the breeding of dogs and cats, such as species-appropriate nutrition, veterinary care and protection against mistreatment. The adopted minimum requirements also help to put a stop to unregulated backyard breeding and animal cruelty in breeding stations.
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