The European Commission has unveiled its most extensive reform in recent years to the European Union’s rules governing the welfare of animals during transportation.
Additionally, the Commission has put forth unprecedented regulations concerning the well-being of dogs and cats bred and traded as companion animals.
The comprehensive package encompasses a revision of existing EU regulations on animal transportation, aiming to enhance the welfare of the staggering 1.6 billion animals transported to and from the EU annually.
Proposed measures include a reduction in travel times, with animals disembarking for periods of rest, feeding, and hydration during extended journeys. Rights ensuring minimum space for different species will be increased and tailored to each animal’s specific needs. Stringent conditions will be imposed on transporting animals in extreme temperatures, restricting travel exclusively to nighttime when temperatures exceed 30 degrees Celsius.
Furthermore, in temperatures below 0 degrees Celsius, road vehicles must be covered, and air circulation in the animals’ compartments monitored to safeguard their well-being. Rules governing live animal exports from the Union are set to become more stringent.
As for dogs and cats, approximately 44% of households in the EU have companion animals. The trade of dogs and cats has seen significant growth in recent years, with an annual value of 1.3 billion euros.
However, standards for the welfare of animals in the professional breeding, maintenance, and sale of dogs and cats vary widely among member states, with extensive evidence of practices and abuses that fall short of established standards.
The proposed regulations for the welfare and traceability of dogs and cats will, for the first time, establish uniform EU standards for the breeding, housing, and handling of these animals in breeding facilities, pet shops, and shelters.
The traceability of dogs and cats will also be reinforced through mandatory identification and registration in national databases, targeting illegal trade and improving oversight of the living conditions of animals in facilities.
Finally, the Commission is recommending additional measures to address the European Citizens’ Initiative (ECI) “Fur Free Europe,” which calls for the prohibition of fur farming in the EU and the sale of products containing such fur in the single market.