On 19 June, Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted on the European Commission’s proposal concerning the welfare and traceability of cats and dogs.

Animal welfare is a crucial issue for Europe’s 7 million hunters — a significant group of hunting dog owners — and FACE fully supports efforts to end the trafficking of dogs and cats bred in poor conditions. Such illegal trade causes serious harm to the welfare of the animals involved. In this context, hunters support the identification and registration of dogs, recognising it as essential for ensuring traceability and safeguarding animal well-being.

However, several obligations outlined in the Parliament’s position would inadvertently affect hunters who keep packs of dogs for legitimate and essential hunting purposes. These packs are primarily used in driven hunts, a method vital for managing ungulate populations across Europe. Species such as wild boar — known carriers of African Swine Fever (ASF) — pose significant threats to agriculture and livestock. Similarly, red deer contribute to deforestation, the spread of diseases such as bovine tuberculosis and chronic wasting disease, and habitat degradation.

The Parliament’s text imposes welfare obligations on individuals who are not classified as operators under existing legislation (such as the Animal Health Law), potentially impacting a large number of non-commercial dog owners. This raises concerns about overregulation, as the rules could apply to individuals whose activities are local, occasional (e.g., someone might exceed the threshold one year but not the next) and pose minimal risk.

On a positive note, several important provisions were retained, including those related to tail docking. This practice, often carried out as a preventive measure to protect working dogs from injuries in dense vegetation, remains permitted in Member States where it is legally allowed.

Negotiations between the European Parliament and the Council will begin shortly to finalise the text of the legislation.