Working to improve

companion animal welfare

across the EU

Claire Calder

Policy Officer for Companion Animals

About Eurogroup

• The primary federation representing animal

welfare organisations across the EU

About Eurogroup

• Member organisations in almost all Member

States

• Primarily work for introduction, improvement

& enforcement of EU laws & policies

• Also work in other ways. For example, by

influencing industry standards.

Background

• Historically very little EU legislation to protect

companion animal welfare

• Member State legislation varies

greatly

• This results in varying standards

of welfare

Background

• 2010 Council Conclusions on the welfare of

dogs and cats:

• Study differences between Member States

regarding the breeding of and EU trade in dogs

and cats...

• Study and propose...systems for identification

and registration of dogs and cats...

Background

• Study and present...a specific proposal to

restrict...the exhibition at public events of dogs

and cats having undergone a non-curative

surgical intervention...

• Develop...appropriate actions to promote and

support education concerning responsible dog

and cat ownership...

EU Animal Welfare

Strategy 2012-2015

Includes dogs and cats!

• A simplified EU legislative

framework for animal welfare

• Study on the welfare of dogs

and cats involved in

commercial practices

Animal Health Strategy

2007-2013

Ongoing:

• An EU Animal Health Law

– Will include provisions for

dogs and cats

Eurogroup priorities

• First strategic plan developed for dogs and

cats, for 2013-2015

• Consultation with:

• Advisory Board for companion animals

• Member organisations

Eurogroup priorities

Prioritised issues depending on:

• Upcoming EU activities

• Relevance across Member States

• No. of animals affected

• Severity and duration of

suffering

Eurogroup priorities

Priorities for 2013-2015:

• Commercial breeding &

trade

• Selective breeding

• Cross border movements

Commercial breeding

and trade

Commercial breeding

& trade

• Breeders in the EU can range from hobby

breeders to large scale breeding

establishments

• Traders can range from breeders selling

directly from their home, to online traders, to

traders at pet markets

• Welfare issues can occur regardless of scale,

at every step of the chain

Commercial breeding

& trade

Scientific research on dog breeding:

• Commercial breeding establishments can produce

puppies which are physically and behaviourally

unsound

• Non-domestic breeding environments can be

associated with behaviour problems later in life

• Breeding dogs from commercial breeding

establishments can have higher rates of health

and behaviour problems compared to pet dogs

Commercial breeding

& trade

Online sale:

• Recent work by PAAG highlighted puppy being

sold in exchange for a mobile phone and Golden

Retriever wanted for swap with Chihuahua

• New owner can’t see where their pet has been

bred so likely to be unaware of the experiences

their pet has had

Selective breeding

Selective breeding

Welfare issues can be split into:

• Exaggerated comformations

• Inherited disorders

Photo: arash_rk

Exaggerated

conformations

• Many dog and cat breeds have been bred to

emphasise physical features

• E.g. Short, flat faces, bulging or sunken eyes

and wrinkled skin

Photo: Poi Photography

Exaggerated

conformations

• Some features are so extreme they can

cause pain and suffering, make animals

prone to particular disorders or prevent them

from behaving normally.

Photo: Sunfox

Inherited disorders

• Rules of dog and cat showing mean that

different breeds have been bred separately

for many years

• One of the effects = lack of genetic diversity =

increased risk of inherited disorders

• Research has shown that every breed of dog

that is well studied is prone to a range of

diseases

Inherited disorders

• Examples include cancer,

blindness and epilepsy

• Some inherited disorders

may cause only minor

suffering. Others can be

extremely painful and last for

a large part of an animal’s

life.

Photo: Will-travel

Cross border

movements

Cross border

movements

Dogs and cats may be

moved for:

• Sale

• Rehoming

• Owner moving or going

on holiday

• Taking part in shows or

events

Cross border

movements

• Diseases can be transferred between

countries

• Poses serious risk to animal and human

health if effective preventative measures not

taken

• EU legislation to minimise risk of rabies

spread, but other diseases also of concern.

E.g. Leishmaniasis

Cross border

movements

Reference: Solano-Gallego et al. (2011)

The distribution of L. infantum infection in Europe

Upcoming EU

opportunities for

dogs and cats

Animal Health Law

• A single horizontal legal framework

• Existing legislation will be simplified and

replaced by this new framework

• Will replace pet movement legislation

• Vote in Committee expected

early 2014

Animal Health Law

Eurogroup is calling for:

• Permanent identification and registration of

dogs and cats

• This should be on an appropriate database,

linked to a database which is accessible

across the EU

Animal Health Law

52 national databases across the EU already

linked to Europetnet (www.europetnet.com)

Animal Health Law

Eurogroup is also calling for:

• Licensing of dog and cat

breeders

• Eurogroup producing

guidelines for breeding of

dogs and cats, which

licensing conditions could

be based on

European Commission

Study

• Will focus on issues associated with the

breeding and trade of dogs and cats

• Consumer protection

• Internal market

• Animal welfare

• 1 year study

• Reporting by late 2014

European Commission

Study

• 28/10/13: study launched

at 1st European

Commission conference

on dogs and cats

• Opportunity for key

stakeholders to discuss the

issues of breeding and

trade

European Commission

Study

Outcome of conference and study will

inform whether any EU action is taken

• Conference: Eurogroup will present the

perspective of our member organisations

• Study: Eurogroup will engage with the

Commission to share

information

Animal Welfare

Framework Law

• Commission to perform a feasibility

study on a simplified EU legislative

Framework

• ‘Animal welfare principles for all

animals kept in the context of an

economic activity, including where

appropriate pet animals’

• Decision expected towards end of

2014

Animal Welfare

Framework Law

Eurogroup is calling for this to:

• Implement the requirements of Article 13 of

the Treaty for the functioning of the EU

• Cover all categories of animals, including pet

animals

• Cover the welfare of animals during their

entire life, including breeding, keeping,

transport and euthanasia.

How you can help!

How you can help

• Share information with us!

• Breeding, trade and cross border movements

• Data, case studies, reports, media articles…

• Look out for Eurogroup’s manifestos and

positions and engage with your MEPs

How you can help

• Sign our pledge board!

Keep in touch

Email:

c.calder@eurogroupforanimals.org

Twitter:

@ClaireEG4A