For the first time, the European Commission has proposed to introduce unified welfare standards for cats and dogs that will apply to their commercial breeding, keeping, and selling. This is reported by the Spanish veterinary portal Animal’s Health.
According to the publication, approximately 44% of households in the European Union have pets, and the annual trade volume exceeds 1.3 billion euros. At the same time, different EU countries have various standards regarding the welfare of animals in commercial breeding, keeping, and selling.
According to the information, more than 60% of pets are sold through online platforms, which has led to a significant increase in illegal trade of dogs and cats in recent years. This issue is detailed in a recently published report by the European Commission, which reveals the details of this trade and points out the shortcomings in legislation that facilitate such activities.
According to the portal, the new proposal does not change the rules regarding ordinary citizens and pet owners. Its main goal is to establish unified EU welfare standards for dogs and cats that are bred and kept in kennels, pet shops, and shelters. These standards will define minimum requirements for housing conditions, care, and treatment of animals.
Additionally, there are plans to tighten requirements for the identification and monitoring of pets, which implies the creation of a unified database and automatic tracking of online sales. These measures aim to assist government authorities in monitoring the breeding and trade of dogs and cats, as well as to ensure that buyers receive accurate information about the animals provided by sellers.
It is also proposed to introduce mandatory briefings for owners when purchasing an animal, which will focus on the importance of responsible pet ownership. These proposals will be submitted for consideration to the European Parliament and the Council of Europe.
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