On Wednesday 11 July, the members of the committee on the environment, public health and food safety advocated measures to combat the trafficking of domestic animals, including the identification and registration of cats and dogs.
With the adoption of a draft resolution on the protection of the single market and consumers’ rights in the EU against the negative consequences of the illegal trade in pets, MEPs urge the Commission to come forward with a proposal for detailed, compatible systems for the means and methods of identification and registration of cats and dogs in member state databases, which should be linked through an EU platform.
They consider it is necessary to establish a uniform EU definition of large-scale commercial breeding facilities, known as puppy mills, in order to tackle the illegal trade in household pets. Parliament is of the opinion that the illegal trafficking of companion animals could be curbed by improving law enforcement and toughening penalties against economic operators, veterinarians and national public services – from source, transit and destination countries - who deliver counterfeit pet passports. The draft resolution will be put to the vote in Parliament during the September plenary in Strasbourg. (Original version in French by Lionel Changeur)