Document type: Answer from the European Commission to question E-001104/2025
Authors: Question : Nikos Pappas (The Left). Answer: Mr Várhelyi on behalf of the European Commission
Question: Management of stray animals in the EU
Protecting stray animals is of vital importance to their welfare and to public health in the European Union. Article 13 of the TFEU recognises that animals are 'sentient beings' and the Commission recently put forward a proposal for a Regulation on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability' with the aim of establishing a single legislative framework for ensuring animal welfare and the uniform and more effective management of animals across all Member States. However, the current lack of a common legislative framework means there are significant discrepancies between national policies, with some states having developed systematic actions to monitor and care for stray animals, while others, such as Greece, continue to face challenges due to limited resources and the failure to properly implement protection measures. In view of the above, can the Commission say:
1. How does it intend to manage stray animals in the EU that do not live in shelters? Are there plans for a single policy on sterilising, keeping a record of and protecting stray animals with a view to ensuring their well-being and preventing abandonment?
2. What EU financial instruments can be used to manage and protect stray animals and is the Commission considering the possibility of setting up a funding mechanism to support targeted actions in this field?
Answer: 1. In line with international standards[1] and for reasons of subsidiarity, the management of stray dog and cat populations remains under the responsibility of the Member States, including on policies for reproduction control, record keeping and protection. The proposal for a regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability of 2023[2] includes provisions on the management of dogs and cats kept in shelters, which are considered "former" strays[3]and they are registered in a national database in the name of the person responsible of the shelter. The proposal also requires the display of a warning regarding responsible ownership, when advertisements are placed on online platforms. This measure could contribute to decreasing the abandonment of owned dogs and cats, that is a common source of stray animals.
2. Even though the welfare of stray dogs is not governed at EU level as mentioned in the Commission's reply to PQ E-001939/2021[4]some concrete actions have been taken. In particular, the Commission remains the main financial donor of Regional Platform on Animal Welfare for Europe of the World Organisation for Animal Health (WOAH)[5]. This Platform is a key regional mechanism to facilitate the implementation of the WOAH standards on animal welfare, including on dogs' population management[6] by the 53 countries of the Regional Commission for Europe. The Commission also prepares the EU position on the WOAH international standard for dog population management.
[1] World Organisation for Animal Health, Terrestrial Code, Chapter 7.7. Dog Population Management: ‘Considering that sources and drivers of free-roaming dogs and management goals differ across communities, dog population management should be individually tailored to local and national contexts<QT.END>’</QT.END> or “these recommendations for dog population management measures are described in detail in Articles 7.7.14. to 7.7.24. and should be implemented in accordance with the national context and local circumstances<QT.END>’</QT.END>.
[2] https://eur-lex.europa.eu/legal-content/EN/TXT/?uri=CELEX:52023PC0769.
[3] There is a typing error in the proposal which reads “formal” instead of “former” stray.
[4] https://www.europarl.europa.eu/doceo/document/E-9-2021-001939-ASW_EN.html.
[5] https://rr-europe.woah.org/en/Projects/animal-welfare-platform-europe/about-the-platform/.
[6] https://www.oie.int/fileadmin/Home/eng/Health_standards/tahc/current/chapitre_aw_stray_dog.pdf.
