Four paws require Europe-wide labeling and registration obligation
Hamburg. On the occasion of the “Day of Lost Dogs” on April 23, four paws advised you to chip dogs and cats and to register in a pet register. According to the global animal welfare organization, this should urgently become mandatory.
An estimated several tens of thousands of dogs and cats disappear every year. Last year, 87,600 cats and 28,700 dogs were registered as missing from the German Pet Center Register Tasso. It can be assumed that the number of unreported cases is far higher. A labeling and registration not only help with the merging of families and their missing animals, but also in the fight against illegal puppy trade.
“Countless animals are lost regularly, are neglected, abused, killed or exposed. If the animals are found, the police rarely have the opportunity to combine them with their owners or to pursue them with their owners such as the exposure of animals. Because most dogs and cats are still not registered in a pet register. Animals that nobody can be assigned to end up in the animal shelter.
Due to mandatory labeling and registration, many of these problems would be solved: animal shelters would be relieved, families would be brought together faster with their lost favorites. Crimes could be better persecuted, identified criminals and illegal puppy trade can be contained in this way. In order for this to succeed, a Europe-wide law must be found that makes labeling and registration mandatory for all dogs and cats, ”says Birgitt Thiesmann from the research team of four paws.
Identification and registration
In illegal puppy trade, animals are usually sold through online platforms and on social media and cannot be traced back due to the lack of labeling and registration obligation. The introduction of a labeling and registration obligation at EU level would enable potential buyers to reliably determine the origin of the animal. “Even before the publication of an online sales indicator, it must be checked whether the dogs and cats are really registered on the advertisers. This is the only way to protect every dog and cat-and thus also their future owners-from illegal animal dealers in the EU,” says Birgitt Thiesmann.
Historical opportunity:
Mandatory marking and registration throughout Europe
A committee of members of the European Parliament is currently working on a law that, among other things, provides for a Europe-wide labeling and registration obligation for dogs and cats. Four paws have set up an online protest with which supporters can ask their MEPs to enact the long overdue law.
Four paws have also summarized measures that can help find a missing dog:
