EU Member States and the European Parliament reached an agreement on the text of the Regulation on dog welfare at the end of November. The text is expected to be formally adopted in the first quarter of 2026.

The Regulation introduces certain basic welfare obligations for operators of breeding establishments and shelters. The concept of “placing on the market” is broadly defined to include both sale and donation, although occasional and irregular donations by private individuals are excluded from these requirements.

Importantly, the text distinguishes between small breeders—defined as those producing up to two litters per calendar year (a category that may include many private dog owners)—and breeders above that threshold. For small breeders, a set of core rules applies, including:

• A general welfare obligation and responsibility for the animal’s well-being.
• A prohibition of abandonment and requirements to monitor welfare indicators.
• Notification of breeding activity to competent authorities.
• An obligation to inform buyers about responsible ownership and animal needs.
• A ban on painful practices, such as mutilations, unless strictly necessary for the health of the animal.

Additionally, more detailed obligations will apply to breeders producing more than two litters per year. The Regulation also establishes harmonised rules on identification and registration: all dogs (and cats) placed on the market must be microchipped and registered in national databases. These databases must be interoperable across Member States to ensure that the identification of a dog or cat can be authenticated and traced throughout the Union.

During the complex negotiations, FACE actively engaged on key technical provisions, including tail docking, space requirements, temperature and lighting conditions, and the definition of “placing on the market,” to ensure legal clarity and proportionality. FACE also actively called for a balanced threshold to cater for hunters who own packs of dogs. In this context, general welfare rules apply to small breeders with up to two litters. In contrast, additional obligations are limited to those producing more than two litters.