MEPs have approved the first EU-wide standards for the breeding, housing, traceability, import and handling of cats and dogs, with new rules on microchipping, registration and breeding practices.
The European Parliament has approved the first EU-wide rules intended to protect cats and dogs from abusive commercial practices, poor breeding standards and gaps in traceability.
The legislation, adopted in plenary on Tuesday, received 558 votes in favour, 35 against and 52 abstentions. It sets common standards for the breeding, housing, handling, import and traceability of dogs and cats across the European Union.
The new regulation has already been agreed with the Council, but still requires formal adoption before it can enter into force. Once in force, it will introduce mandatory microchipping and registration of all dogs and cats kept in the EU, including animals held in private ownership.
Sellers, breeders and shelters will have four years from the entry into force of the legislation to prepare for the new traceability obligations. For private owners who do not sell animals, the requirement will apply after 10 years for dogs and after 15 years for cats.
The aim is to establish interoperable national databases, allowing animals to be identified and traced more reliably across member states. The measure is intended to address illegal trade, fraudulent online sales and the movement of animals across borders without adequate records.
The legislation also introduces restrictions on breeding practices. Breeding between parents and offspring, grandparents and grandchildren, and between siblings or half-siblings will be prohibited. The rules will also ban the breeding of dogs or cats for exaggerated or excessive physical traits where those traits create significant health risks.
Such provisions are likely to affect breeding practices linked to extreme body shapes, breathing problems, mobility issues or other inherited conditions. The regulation does not target ownership of existing animals, but seeks to set minimum standards for future breeding and commercial supply.
The new measures also prohibit the mutilation of dogs and cats for shows, exhibitions or competitions. Tethering dogs or cats to an object will be banned, except where necessary for medical treatment. The use of prong and choke collars without built-in safety mechanisms will also be prohibited.
Imports from outside the EU are covered under the legislation. Dogs and cats imported for sale will have to be microchipped before entering the Union and registered in a national database. The rules also cover some non-commercial movements, in order to close loopholes where animals enter as pets but are later sold.
Pet owners entering the EU from non-EU countries will be required to pre-register their microchipped animal in a database at least five working days before arrival, unless the animal is already registered in an EU member state.
The measure responds to a growing cross-border trade in cats and dogs, much of it conducted online. According to the Commission, around 60 per cent of owners purchase their dogs or cats online. The trade in cats and dogs is estimated to be worth €1.3 billion a year.
The Parliament said around 44 per cent of EU citizens have a pet and 74 per cent believe animal welfare should be better protected. The Commission first proposed the legislation on 7 December 2023, after identifying the absence of consistent EU standards for cats and dogs.
The rules are intended to create a more level framework for breeders, shelters, sellers and importers. They also give authorities clearer tools to act against unlawful trade, falsified documentation and cross-border sales that do not meet welfare standards.
For animal welfare policy, the vote marks a significant expansion of EU-level regulation into an area that has often been handled mainly through national law. While member states already have their own rules, the absence of common minimum standards has created uneven enforcement and opportunities for poor practice to move between jurisdictions.
The legislation is also relevant to consumers. Purchasers of cats and dogs will be expected to benefit from clearer information about an animal’s identity, origin and registration status. A more reliable traceability system should make it harder for sellers to disguise the origin of animals bred in poor conditions.
The practical impact will depend on implementation by member states, database interoperability and enforcement capacity. The long transition periods for private owners mean that some obligations will be phased in gradually, while commercial operators will face earlier compliance requirements.
For Brussels, the file combines animal welfare, consumer protection, border control and digital trade enforcement. It is not a symbolic measure: it creates concrete duties on registration, breeding and handling, and will affect how cats and dogs are bred, sold and moved into the EU.
The final step is formal adoption by the Council. Once completed, the rules will become the first EU-wide legal framework specifically setting standards for the protection and traceability of cats and dogs.
