European Parliament supports mandatory chipping of all cats and dogs in the EU

What the new requirements bring:

• Mandatory chipping – all animals (incorrectly “only those placed on the market” is no longer sufficient) must be electronically identifiable.
• Registered in an interoperable database – chip data must be stored in national registers that will be linked together through a central index system managed by the European Commission.
• Imported animals – dogs and cats imported into the EU, including those declared as personal companions (non-commercial), must be chipped before entering the EU and registered; owners must pre-register the animal online at least five working days before arrival.

Additional welfare and traceability measures:

• No sale in pet shops – breeders and owners belong to a defined group; non-commercially kept animals are subject to mandatory identification.
• Establishment of minimum welfare standards – includes prohibition of inbreeding (parent-child, siblings, etc.), limiting the number of litters per bitch with mandatory weaning periods, prohibition of extreme conformation traits, limiting shows with these animals, prohibition of turning around the neck (prong & choke collars) and limiting tethering.

Legislative process and next steps

• The Parliament adopted its position by a clear vote: 457 in favour, 17 against, 86 abstentions.
• The EP position now enters into trilogue negotiations with the Council of the EU and the European Commission, where the final text will be negotiated.