News & Reports
News & Reports animal welfare
Call for harmonised legislation on cats and dogs THE lack of EU-wide legislation to protect the welfare of cats and dogs used for commercial purposes could have serious consequences for animal welfare, animal health, human health, consumer protection and the functioning of the internal market. This is one conclusion reached in a report by the EU Dog & Cat Alliance, which has examined the national legislation relating to dogs and cats involved in commercial practices in the EU. The alliance was formed in 2014 and brings together dog and cat welfare organisations from across the EU. The BVA is a member. In its report, which was published on March 25, the alliance notes that, currently, the only EU-wide legislation covering dogs and cats in the context of commercial practices relates to transport and health requirements when animals are moved across borders. ‘National legislation can vary greatly across the EU, with strict legislation in some countries, and little at all in others,’ it says. The alliance gathered information on the regulation of identification and registration, breeding, trade and surgical mutilations from each of the EU’s 28 member states. Its report summarises the situation in each member state and makes recommendations for the areas that the alliance believes EU-wide legislation should cover. Due to limitations in the information available,the report does not assess how well the legal provisions are implemented and enforced by the national authorities in each member state. Nor does it evaluate whether sufficient resources are allocated to implementation and enforcement. On the matter of identification and registration of dogs, the alliance found that this is currently compulsory in 19 member states. By 2016, it says, this will rise to 23 member states when compulsory identification and registration will have been introduced in Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia and the remainder of the UK (it is already compulsory in Northern Ireland). However, it notes that, although most member states have a national database of registered dogs, most of these are not linked to an EU database, preventing full traceability when dogs are moved across EU borders.
With cats, only two member states currently impose nationwide compulsory identification and registration; in three member states only some regions have rules in place to impose this. The lack of traceability across EU borders poses a risk to animal and public health in the case of a disease outbreak, the alliance says, and also has implications for consumer protection when purchasers are unable to trace where their new pet has come from. Regarding national legislation around the breeding of animals, the alliance found that commercial breeders need to be registered and/or licensed in most member states, but that the definition of a commercial breeder differs across the EU. Also, the requirements that breeders have to comply with vary widely. It points out that poor standards of breeding can result in serious welfare problems and increased health risk. It also notes that variation in breeding standards impacts on the cost of breeding which, in turn, results in distortion of competition between member states, thus ‘undermining the functioning of the internal market and presenting a clear incentive for illegal trade’.
Turning to the sale of dogs and cats, the alliance found that, in most member states, traders had to be licensed although, again, the requirements for licensing varied widely. Some member states had no legal minimum age at which a puppy or kitten could be sold and, in member states where there was a legal minimum age, this varied between seven to eight weeks for puppies and seven to 12 weeks for kittens. ‘The large variations in national legislation on the trade of dogs and cats can result in serious problems,’ the alliance says, noting that where puppies and kittens are sold from pet shops, markets, over the internet or by a trader who is not the breeder, the new owners may be unaware of where and how their new pet has been bred and the experiences it has had. ‘This poses a consumer protection risk where owners are unknowingly purchasing pets which are likely to have, or to develop, health or behaviour problems. This also impacts the functioning of the internal market where traders in some countries are at a competitive disadvantage compared to other countries.’ Most member states prohibit surgical mutilations of dogs and cats, the alliance found. However, four member states still permit tail docking of dogs and nine more have exemptions that allow docking under specific circumstances.
Recommendations
The alliance recommends that EU legislation is adopted that requires the compulsory and permanent identification and registration of dogs and cats on an appropriate database, which is linked to an EU database. It also calls for the compulsory licensing of dog and cat breeders and harmonised EU standards for dog and cat breeders. As a minimum, it says, such standards should cover the conditions in which the animals are kept, the training of breeders, socialisation of puppies and kittens, and the prevention of selective breeding of dogs and cats with genetic problems. In addition, it recommends banning the sale of dogs and cats in pet shops, at markets, shows and exhibitions, as well as in the April 11, 2015 | Veterinary Record | 371
News & Reports street. ‘Dogs and cats should only be sold from their breeder’s premises, allowing new owners to see the conditions in which their pet has been raised,’ it says. Further recommendations include the introduction of appropriate controls on the internet trade of dogs and cats; the introduction of specific requirements for the transport of cats and dogs in the context of an economic activity; and a full ban on surgical mutilations other than for health reasons. The alliance has shared its report with all 751 members of the European Parliament as well as with the 28 national governments
372 | Veterinary Record | April 11, 2015
and the European Commission. It says it will be meeting with MEPs to encourage member states to collectively legislate for more uniform dog and cat welfare. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, which is a member of the alliance, welcomed publication of the report, saying it was fully supportive of the push for the compulsory identification and registration of dogs and cats on an accessible EU database, and of the compulsory licensing of dog and cat breeders. It also supported the call for a ban on the sales of dogs and cats in pet shops and for controls on the internet trade of these animals.
Dee McIntosh, Battersea’s director of communications, said: ‘It’s all too clear that there’s a wide variation in national legislation on dog and cat breeding and trade across EU countries, and action is needed to ensure this improves. This new report is very encouraging and Battersea will work with national politicians to see how we can better legislate to improve dog and cat welfare.’ n The report is available at www. dogandcatwelfare.eu/national-legislation/ doi: 10.1136/vr.h1853
News & Reports animal welfare
Call for harmonised legislation on cats and dogs THE lack of EU-wide legislation to protect the welfare of cats and dogs used for commercial purposes could have serious consequences for animal welfare, animal health, human health, consumer protection and the functioning of the internal market. This is one conclusion reached in a report by the EU Dog & Cat Alliance, which has examined the national legislation relating to dogs and cats involved in commercial practices in the EU. The alliance was formed in 2014 and brings together dog and cat welfare organisations from across the EU. The BVA is a member. In its report, which was published on March 25, the alliance notes that, currently, the only EU-wide legislation covering dogs and cats in the context of commercial practices relates to transport and health requirements when animals are moved across borders. ‘National legislation can vary greatly across the EU, with strict legislation in some countries, and little at all in others,’ it says. The alliance gathered information on the regulation of identification and registration, breeding, trade and surgical mutilations from each of the EU’s 28 member states. Its report summarises the situation in each member state and makes recommendations for the areas that the alliance believes EU-wide legislation should cover. Due to limitations in the information available,the report does not assess how well the legal provisions are implemented and enforced by the national authorities in each member state. Nor does it evaluate whether sufficient resources are allocated to implementation and enforcement. On the matter of identification and registration of dogs, the alliance found that this is currently compulsory in 19 member states. By 2016, it says, this will rise to 23 member states when compulsory identification and registration will have been introduced in Ireland, Lithuania, Latvia and the remainder of the UK (it is already compulsory in Northern Ireland). However, it notes that, although most member states have a national database of registered dogs, most of these are not linked to an EU database, preventing full traceability when dogs are moved across EU borders.
With cats, only two member states currently impose nationwide compulsory identification and registration; in three member states only some regions have rules in place to impose this. The lack of traceability across EU borders poses a risk to animal and public health in the case of a disease outbreak, the alliance says, and also has implications for consumer protection when purchasers are unable to trace where their new pet has come from. Regarding national legislation around the breeding of animals, the alliance found that commercial breeders need to be registered and/or licensed in most member states, but that the definition of a commercial breeder differs across the EU. Also, the requirements that breeders have to comply with vary widely. It points out that poor standards of breeding can result in serious welfare problems and increased health risk. It also notes that variation in breeding standards impacts on the cost of breeding which, in turn, results in distortion of competition between member states, thus ‘undermining the functioning of the internal market and presenting a clear incentive for illegal trade’.
Turning to the sale of dogs and cats, the alliance found that, in most member states, traders had to be licensed although, again, the requirements for licensing varied widely. Some member states had no legal minimum age at which a puppy or kitten could be sold and, in member states where there was a legal minimum age, this varied between seven to eight weeks for puppies and seven to 12 weeks for kittens. ‘The large variations in national legislation on the trade of dogs and cats can result in serious problems,’ the alliance says, noting that where puppies and kittens are sold from pet shops, markets, over the internet or by a trader who is not the breeder, the new owners may be unaware of where and how their new pet has been bred and the experiences it has had. ‘This poses a consumer protection risk where owners are unknowingly purchasing pets which are likely to have, or to develop, health or behaviour problems. This also impacts the functioning of the internal market where traders in some countries are at a competitive disadvantage compared to other countries.’ Most member states prohibit surgical mutilations of dogs and cats, the alliance found. However, four member states still permit tail docking of dogs and nine more have exemptions that allow docking under specific circumstances.
Recommendations
The alliance recommends that EU legislation is adopted that requires the compulsory and permanent identification and registration of dogs and cats on an appropriate database, which is linked to an EU database. It also calls for the compulsory licensing of dog and cat breeders and harmonised EU standards for dog and cat breeders. As a minimum, it says, such standards should cover the conditions in which the animals are kept, the training of breeders, socialisation of puppies and kittens, and the prevention of selective breeding of dogs and cats with genetic problems. In addition, it recommends banning the sale of dogs and cats in pet shops, at markets, shows and exhibitions, as well as in the April 11, 2015 | Veterinary Record | 371
News & Reports street. ‘Dogs and cats should only be sold from their breeder’s premises, allowing new owners to see the conditions in which their pet has been raised,’ it says. Further recommendations include the introduction of appropriate controls on the internet trade of dogs and cats; the introduction of specific requirements for the transport of cats and dogs in the context of an economic activity; and a full ban on surgical mutilations other than for health reasons. The alliance has shared its report with all 751 members of the European Parliament as well as with the 28 national governments
372 | Veterinary Record | April 11, 2015
and the European Commission. It says it will be meeting with MEPs to encourage member states to collectively legislate for more uniform dog and cat welfare. Battersea Dogs & Cats Home, which is a member of the alliance, welcomed publication of the report, saying it was fully supportive of the push for the compulsory identification and registration of dogs and cats on an accessible EU database, and of the compulsory licensing of dog and cat breeders. It also supported the call for a ban on the sales of dogs and cats in pet shops and for controls on the internet trade of these animals.
Dee McIntosh, Battersea’s director of communications, said: ‘It’s all too clear that there’s a wide variation in national legislation on dog and cat breeding and trade across EU countries, and action is needed to ensure this improves. This new report is very encouraging and Battersea will work with national politicians to see how we can better legislate to improve dog and cat welfare.’ n The report is available at www. dogandcatwelfare.eu/national-legislation/ doi: 10.1136/vr.h1853
