„Puppy Trade in Europe
A lack of traceability, threat to the European Market and One Health”
An event organized by VIER PFOTEN International
26 November 2013, European Parliament
Dog Trade
EU Legislation and Enforcement
Sophie Duthoit
European Legal Research Officer
VIER PFOTEN / FOUR PAWS European Policy Office
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VIER PFOTEN/FOUR PAWS, European Policy Office
19/11 Avenue de la Renaissance, 1000 Brussels (Belgium)
+32 2 740 08 88
sophie.duthoit@vier-pfoten.eu
Facts and Figures –
Dogs in Europe and in the Worldwide
Source: FEDIAF, 2010
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Facts and Figures –
Dogs in private households in Europe
Source:
FEDIAF and
EUPAW,
2010
27% of EU household keep at least one dog.
Italy, France, UK, Germany, Belgium = 63% of pets owned in Europe
3
Facts and Figures –
Dogs in private households in Europe
Dog market:
Data are very difficult to collect
Germany:
150,000 of the 500.000 puppies coming in German
households each year are imported
Belgium:
On 155,000 registered dogs, more than 30,000 are imported
• 10,448 came from Slovakia
• 9,042 came from Czech Republic
• 2,649 came from Hungary
Illegal Dog Trade: ??? Data are even more difficult to obtain !
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What « dog trade » involves ?
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Breeders
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Sellers
« Puppy Markets »
Petshops
Classified Adds
(Internet or Newspapers)
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Retailers
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Carriers
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Health and Welfare
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Buyers (Consumers)
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EU Legislation
 BREEDING
 TRADE (sellers and advertisement)
Planned EU Survey on cats and dogs trade (2014)
 TRANSPORT
Regulation 1/2005
 HEALTH
Directive 92/65 on sanitary requirements
Callisto Project
 CONSUMERS PROTECTION
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EU Legislation
 HEALTH
Council Directive 92/65/EEC of 13 July 1992 laying down animal health
requirements governing trade in and imports into the Community of animals (…)
• Applies only when the dogs cross the borders
• Pet Passport with identification and vaccination
• Requires a Health Certificate of less than 24 Hours
 NO REGISTRATION of the dogs and NO COMMON DATABASE
= NO TRACEABILITY
POLITICAL level: CALLISTO Project about zoonoses affecting companion
animals
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EU Legislation
 TRANSPORT
Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005 of 22 December 2004 on the protection of
animals during transport and related operations
 Applies to transporters, organisers, drivers and "keepers"
• Record of the movement in the TRACES system
• 8 weeks minimum for dogs to be transported unless puppies are
accompanied by their mother
• Pet Passport, Vaccination and Chip mandatory
• Water every 8 hours and Food every 24 hours
• GPS, logbook….
• Animals should not be injured or sick
• In addition: specific requirements for travels of more than 8 hours
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National Legislation
(selected examples)
VERY DIVERSE REQUIREMENTS
 BREEDING
•
Some countries are allowing private breeding: France, Belgium, Croatia,
Germany, Latvia…
 TRADE (sellers and advertisement)
• Diverse requirements for selling dogs in petshops
• Belgium is the only State to have limited the advertisement of trade
 TRANSPORT
• Requirements of Regulation 1/2005
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National Legislation
(selected examples)
 HEALTH
• I&R is mandatory in some States: Belgium, Luxembourg, Lithuania, Latvia,
Bulgaria, Hungary, Greece…
 DOG WELFARE
•
Prohibition of ear cropping and tail docking in several States: Belgium,
Croatia, Netherlands, Luxembourg, Lithuania…
 CONSUMERS PROTECTION
• Some States obliged the seller to respect some requirements (list of
redhibitory defects): France, Belgium, Lithuania, Latvia, Greece…
• Some States have a special Ombudsman or a special prosecutor to deal
with animal welfare issues (Austria, Luxembourg…)
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Problem Definition
EU LEVEL
• NO intra EU borders = no systematic checks of the imports/ exports
• NO EU rules covering all aspects of the trade
• NO traceability because no mandatory Identification and Registration of
dogs, and the TRACES system is not adequate for dog trade
NATIONAL LEVEL:
• NO proper enforcement of the transport Regulation and sanitary
legislation
• NO effective protection of consumers who bought a ill dog
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Solution Strategies
EU LEVEL
• Strict enforcement of the transport and sanitary rules
• Legislation on dog and cat trade
• Mandatory Identification and Registration of each dog in common
compatible databases linked to a European System (such as EuroPetNet)
NATIONAL LEVEL:
• Licencing system for breeders
• Control of the Internet Trade
• Stricter penalties for illegal traders
• Consumer awareness
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THANK YOU FOR ATTENTION!
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For more Information
Please consult
The European Enforcement Network’s website:
www.lawyersforanimalprotection.eu
Or contact me :
sophie.duthoit@vier-pfoten.eu
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towards and
Animals
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