EU Hails Deal on New Rules for Dog and Cat Welfare

The European Commission welcomes the agreement by the European Parliament and the Council of the EU on the first ever EU legislation on the welfare of dogs and cats, which will significantly improve the way these animals are treated, when bred, sold or adopted in the EU. The new measures will also help to clamp down on the illegal trade into and within the EU.

Once adopted and implemented, this legislation will ensure that:

• Uniform welfare standards will apply across the EU when it comes to breeding, housing and care of dogs and cats in professional establishments. For example, breeders, sellers and shelters will need to provide outdoor access to dogs and will not be able to keep dogs and cats in containers. Minimum space allowance rules are also set for breeders and sellers.
• Animal caretakers in breeding, selling establishments or shelters will need to have sufficient competence to look after dogs and cats. At least one caretaker per establishment will need to follow specific training approved by the competent authorities.
• Commercial imports will be subject to the same or equivalent animal welfare standards, and the establishment of origin will need to be approved by the competent authorities of the non-EU countries.
• Responsible ownership will be promoted, including through warnings on online advertising.
• Dogs and cats with extreme conformational traits will be excluded from reproduction and from being displayed in shows and competitions. This is due to the negative health and welfare impacts of such extreme traits.
• Traceability requirements will apply in order to empower Member States to fight serious fraud currently ongoing on the dog and cat market. Microchipping and registration in inter-operable national databases will be required for all dogs and cats based on already functioning national systems. In a first stage, this will apply to any dog or cat placed on the market. After a transition period, any remaining pet owner in possession of a dog or cat which has not been microchipped or registered will also be required to do so. This will close any loophole, as illegal traders often pretend to be pet owners.
• A verification system will be established to empower prospective buyers to check that online advertisements are not fraudulent.
• Exemptions are clearly defined where the stricter requirements would not serve the goals of the regulation (for example for farmers accommodating free roaming cats in rural areas).

Next steps

The new Regulation must be formally adopted by the Council and European Parliament. It will be published in the Official Journal in the course of 2026 and will start applying two years later (except in the case of specific provisions, subjected to transition periods).