New FOUR PAWS report on the billion-dollar industry
Unclear origins for around 770,000 dogs that find a home in Germany every year // Criminal networks profit
Hamburg. Not only in Germany, but throughout Europe, the demand for dogs has risen rapidly in recent years. The new FOUR PAWS report on the illegal puppy trade in Europe shows that almost six million dogs would be needed every year to meet demand in the EU – almost a million of them in Germany. The market value of EU-wide demand is estimated at at least 4.6 billion euros.
In EU countries, the high demand for dogs cannot be met by regular breeders. According to FOUR PAWS analysis, no legal or verifiable sources could be identified for an alarming 79 percent of dogs requested annually in the EU. In Germany the situation is even more serious: Here, there was a calculated “need” of more than 921,000 dogs with an estimated market value of around 1.2 billion euros (1) cannot verify a clear origin for 84 percent of the animals (770,000 dogs).
Criminal networks are benefiting from this trend and are making high profits through the intensive breeding of popular dog breeds. Puppies that are far too young are often produced under cruel conditions and imported illegally in order to then be sold via online platforms and social media. Trend: rising. FOUR PAWS Germany registered this year's half-yearly balance sheet on the illegal puppy trade in comparison with the 2023 report on the illegal puppy trade. By the end of June 2024, 375 dogs, 13 dogs more than in the same period last year, had been confiscated from the illegal puppy trade. Since then, around 200 more confiscated dogs have been registered – the report will follow at the beginning of 2025.
Financial incentives and little risk for criminals
In its latest report, FOUR PAWS examined classifieds portals that lead the market in dog adverts in 21 EU Member States and found that on average around four out of five dog adverts feature puppies for sale. Over 2,000 new dog ads are uploaded to websites in countries such as France, Germany and Italy every day; In Poland there are even more than 4,000 every day. The analysis also shows price differences of up to 1,300 euros for puppies. While in Germany a puppy is offered for sale on average for 1,530 euros, in Romania and Bulgaria, for example, they only cost 300 euros.
Given the possible high profits, a lack of Germany-wide identification and registration requirements for dogs, a lack of verification tools on most classifieds sites and the low risk of criminal prosecution, the incentives for the illegal puppy trade are great. The members of the European Parliament could help solve this problem with a stricter EU regulation on the puppy trade.
Stricter EU laws can stop the cruel trade
Although the European Commission classifies the illegal pet trade as organized crime, the industry continues to benefit from weak legislation. FOUR PAWS is therefore calling on the EU to take stricter measures. This includes mandatory identification and registration of all dogs and cats, as well as verification systems for classifieds sites that check the registration of animals for advertisers before ads are placed.
“With a 4.6 billion euro industry without uniform regulations across the EU, it is no wonder that the illegal puppy trade is flourishing. This trade not only harms animals, but also brings unsuspecting buyers into contact with potentially sick dogs, often sold with missing or forged vaccination documents. Tragically, some of these dogs die shortly after purchase. Members of the European Parliament must act now to protect the welfare of humans and animals,” says Julia Mundl, campaigner at FOUR PAWS International.
FOUR PAWS enables EU citizens to call on their members of the EU Parliament to enact the strictest possible law, with labeling and registration requirements as well as mandatory identity checks for sellers in all member states.
(1) Based on this research, the market value of the annual demand for dogs in Germany can be estimated at 1,286,747,644 euros. Based on the more conservative average price of all examined advertisements for dogs of all ages for sale and adoption, on the market-leading classifieds portal for dog ads in Germany (€1,396 x 921,739 dogs in demand, see Slide 41 of the analysis).