Dogs and cats, EU Council gives final approval to rules for traceability and welfare protection

The work of implementing the guidelines has led the European bodies, on the one hand, to set stringent animal welfare requirements with regard to breeding, housing, handling and veterinary care. And on the other hand, in parallel, to strengthen the tools to curb any kind of maltreatment. Specifically, the most substantial tightening probably affects reproductive practices: procedures will have to observe very precise age limits (minimum and maximum age) and frequency limits. Not only: crossing between blood relatives (e.g. between parents and children, siblings and half-siblings or grandparents and grandchildren) and breeding hybrids, i.e. born from an encounter with a wild species, will be absolutely forbidden. Cats and bitches that have undergone two caesarean sections may not be used in breeding procedures to ensure their health.

There will also be a stop to grooming practices aimed at giving dogs and cats exaggerated or excessive characteristics that could seriously affect their condition or pass on - in the case of reproductive practices - these extreme morphological elements to future generations. These animals will, in parallel, also be excluded from participation in competitions, shows or exhibitions.

Speaking of kennels, the EU also sets limits on mutilation. Procedures such as the cutting off of ears, tails or the removal of claws for purely aesthetic reasons or reasons related to competition regulations will be strictly prohibited. Just as it will be forbidden to tie the dog or cat to an object, except if necessary to administer medical treatment, and to use choke or prong collars without integrated safety mechanisms.

Finally, looking at the daily routine, there are two indications: the animals must be provided with clean, fresh water, sufficient food and decent living conditions. Dogs, especially those over eight weeks old, should have daily access to an outdoor area or be taken for daily walks. In general, whoever chooses to care for them must - obvious but necessary - have a thorough knowledge of their behaviour and needs.

The law that has just been passed evidently also covers dogs and cats imported into Europe from foreign countries. Specifically, animal traceability and welfare standards equivalent to those drawn up for the EU will apply and the competent national authorities will have to rely as much on the faithful application of the rules as on enhanced cross-border cooperation. That's not all: the rules will, in fact, also extend to non-commercial pets, which are only destined for sale afterwards.

They must therefore be microchipped before entering European soil and registered in the national database. There is, however, a preliminary step: owners are required to pre-register them in the database at least five days before arrival, unless they are already registered in one of the databases of other European countries. On this point, Europe has decided to take even more concrete action: a database of travellers with pets. The platform, which will be developed soon, will enable Member States to get an overview of non-commercial imports into Europe and to flush out suspicious movements.

On the online sales front, advertisements should include verifiable identification information. And when selling or donating dogs and cats, the person handling the deal must also become an advertiser, sensitising the customer to the value of responsible ownership. The contribution of the veterinarian is crucial: commercial establishments will be obliged to ensure specialist visits.

After the OK of the Parliament and the European Council, the regulation is ready to enter into force: it will take full effect 20 days after its publication in the Official Journal of the European Union. For some provisions, however, transitional periods and/or intermediate steps are foreseen to allow both industry and Member States to comply with the new parameters.

The regulation makes its way into a landscape where, data in hand, dogs and cats are very present. Approximately 44 per cent of European citizens, in fact, have a pet and 74 per cent believe that its welfare should be safeguarded by more targeted measures. Commercial practices have consistently increased in recent years, reaching a value of EUR 1.3 billion per year: according to the EU Commission, some 60 per cent of owners buy or have bought dogs or cats online.

A scenario that clearly required dedicated and, above all, unified legislative intervention: the rules in force at European level, in fact, focused more on the protection of animals used for scientific purposes or transported for commercial reasons. Whereas, at national level, the rules tended to vary - even massively - from state to state.