EU: Parliament approves mandatory microchipping for dogs and cats

In future, uniform standards for the treatment of dogs and cats are to apply across the European Union. Last week, the European Parliament approved a regulation to this effect, which is primarily intended to combat the illegal trade in animals. Representatives of the Parliament and the EU Member States had already agreed on the new regulations back in November. 

The proposal includes a mandatory requirement to register dogs and cats in databases in order to improve the traceability of companion animals. The measure is intended in particular to help curb the illegal trade with companion animals. It should also enable lost animals to be reunited with their owners more quickly, thereby easing the burden on animal shelters. 

Online platforms are also expected to face tighter regulation. Providers will in future be required to supply information on an animal’s microchip, allowing prospective buyers to see where the animal comes from, who owns it, and where it was born. Animals entering the EU from non-member states will have to be microchipped and registered prior to arrival. 

In addition, the regulation introduces stricter rules on breeding. Practices such as inbreeding, as well as breeding methods that pose increased health risks to animals, are to be prohibited. 

The rules still require formal approval by the Council.