EU Activity Update Claire Calder Dogs Trust / EU Dog & Cat Alliance

Launched at ICAWC 2014 Alliance of 53 dog and cat welfare organisations from 19 EU countries – but this is growing all the time! Together we are calling for EU action to protect dogs and cats

First year at a glance Met with 46 MEPs or assistants Met with national governments in Brussels, including UK, Ireland, Luxembourg, Belgium and Romania Met with the cabinet of the European Commissioner with responsibility for animal welfare

First year at a glance Launched a ground-breaking report on national legislation across the EU Held our 1 st event in the European Parliament Tabled several Parliamentary Questions Lobbied on Puppy Smuggling, Veterinary Medicines and Medicated Feed

EU Study on Dogs and Cats 1 year study to assess whether the EU should take initiatives to protect the welfare of dogs and cats involved in commercial practices. Started in February EU Member States surveyed Due to report imminently

National legislation report Collates the national legislation on: Identification & registration Breeding Trade Surgical mutilations In all 28 EU Member States

National legislation report - findings I&R of dogs compulsory in 19 Member States, rising to 23 Member States in I&R of cats only compulsory in 2 Member States (France and Greece) Commercial breeders need to registered and/or licensed in most Member States but definition of ‘commercial breeder’ varies widely

National legislation report - findings Inspection of breeding establishments before breeding starts only required in 12 Member States Only 6 Member States have provisions on socialisation of puppies and kittens Sale of puppies and kittens in pet shops allowed in 20 Member States No minimum age for sale of puppies and kittens in 8 and 10 Member States respectively

National legislation report - findings The vast majority of Member States don’t regulate the online sale of dogs and cats In some Member States dog and cat trade is not regulated at all Tail docking of dogs in some circumstances is permitted in 13 Member States

National legislation report – EU recommendations Compulsory I&R of dogs and cats on an appropriate database, linked to an EU database Compulsory licensing of dog and cat breeders by Member States and harmonised EU standards for breeding Ban on the sale of dogs and cats in pet shops, markets, shows and on the street Controls on online sale of dogs and cats

National legislation report video Please click the following link to view the video

National legislation report Full report and Executive Summary can be downloaded from Alliance website Interactive map allows users to click on a Member State for a summary of that country

European Parliament reception

Puppy Smuggling November 2014: first Dogs Trust investigation into illegal smuggling of puppies from Eastern Europe into Great Britain for sale Exposed vets and transporters in Hungary and Lithuania abusing the EU legislation on non- commercial pet movement Unscrupulous European vets caught on camera creating false pet passports and fake rabies vaccination records

Puppy Smuggling – EU actions Shared report with MEPs, national governments in Brussels and the European Commission Tabled 4 Parliamentary Questions Response from Commission = the problems will be solved by new EU rules on non- commercial pet movement which came into force in December 2014

Puppy Smuggling – 2 nd investigation July 2015: findings from 2nd Dogs Trust puppy smuggling investigation released This time, focussed on Lithuania and Romania Investigation took place after new EU legislation on pet movement came into force

Puppy Smuggling – 2 nd investigation Result = new EU legislation has not solved the problems Vets in Lithuania and Romania were found to be falsifying data on pet passports Breeders and dealers were found to be supplying young puppies under the legal age for vaccination against rabies, with dates of birth faked on pet passports

Puppy Smuggling – EU actions Second report sent to all 751 MEPs, national governments in Brussels and the European Commission Tabled 2 further Parliamentary Questions Result = acknowledgement of the issues from the European Commission and commitment to review the situation

Veterinary Medicines and Medicated Feed Proposals for new EU legislation on Veterinary Medicines and Medicated Feed released in 2014 Medicated Feed – would allow dogs and cats to be medicated via pet food Veterinary Medicines – aims to increase the availability of veterinary medicinal products across the EU

Veterinary Medicines and Medicated Feed EU Dog & Cat Alliance has agreed a position on both proposals and has been actively lobbying for improvements Our positions are available at:

Find out more and #EUpetwelfare