Animal category: Felines

Illegal trade of cats & dogs - EU enforcement action

DG SANTE, European Commission

Published in 2023

Report on an investigation coordinated by DG SANTE and carried out by the EU's agri-food anti-fraud network from July 2022 to July 2023. Its aim was to detect irregularities and the falsification of official documents accompanying pets, to target undeclared and unregistered sales, and to deter illegal trade through the strengthening of border controls and monitoring within the EU. The report concludes that the illegal movement of cats and dogs presents considerable risks, not only for animal health and welfare and public health, but also for the economy, in the form of consumer fraud, unfair competition for breeders, tax evasion and undeclared income.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords:Animal trade, Societal issues, Human-animal relationship

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Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the Protection of Animals during Transport and related Operations, amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005

DG SANTE, European Commission

Published in 2023

Proposal to revise the European regulation on the transport of live animals in such a way as to reduce the animal welfare impacts of long journeys and repeated unloading and reloading, increase the space per animal during transport, improve transport conditions for vulnerable animals  avoid exposing animals to extreme temperatures, facilitate the application of EU rules on animal welfare, and better protect animals exported to third countries and cats and dogs transported as part of an economic activity.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Cattle, Dogs, Goats, Equines, Felines, Sheep, Fish, Pigs, Poultry

Key words: One Welfare, Human-animal relationship, Transport,Societal issues

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Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability

DG SANTE, European Commission

Published in 2023

First EU legislative proposal concerning the welfare of dogs and cats in kennels, shelters and pet shops. It includes compulsory microchip identification and registration for animals sold in the EU, compulsory licensing of breeding establishments, a harmonization of the regulations on housing, breeding and care; awareness-raising among buyers of the care, feeding and veterinary needs of pets; adequate training in animal care and welfare for those employed as carers by such establishments; a system to allow buyers to check the identification and registration of animals supplied via online platforms; and a requirement for imported animals to meet the same welfare standards as those bred in the EU.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords: Adoption, Human-animal relationship,Abandonment, Societal issues

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Executive Summary of the Impact Assessment Report Accompanying the document Proposal for a Regulation of the European Parliament and of the Council on the protection of animals during transport and related operations, amending Council Regulation (EC) No 1255/97 and repealing Council Regulation (EC) No 1/2005

DG SANTE, European Commission

Published in 2023

Impact assessment setting out the animal welfare implications of the legislative proposal on the transport of live animals. The impacts addressed are economic, social and environmental.

Document Types: Opinions

Animal categories:Cattle, Dogs, Goats, Equines, Felines, Sheep, Fish, Pigs, Poultry

Key words: One Welfare, Human-animal relationship, Transport,Societal issues

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Assemblée nationale : réponse écrite à la question n° 10049 : Lutte contre l’abandon des animaux de compagnie

Question: Nicolas Forissier (Les Républicains - Indre). Answer: Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

Published in 2023

Answer to a question on how soon the French government intends to carry out the study, required by the law to combat animal abuse, to assess the economic impacts and number of abandonments associated with the ban on the sale of dogs and cats in pet shops; and whether the 14 regulatory texts provided for by this law to ensure its full effectiveness, which have not as yet appeared, will be published by the end of Summer 2023.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords: Adoption,Abandonment, Human-animal relationship, Population management, Societal issues

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The Well-Being of Companion Animal Caregivers and Their Companion Animals during the COVID-19 Pandemic: Scoping Review

Samantha K. Brooks, Neil Greenberg

Published in 2023

Review seeking to understand the effects of the COVID-19 pandemic on animal carers and their pets. Pet companionship had advantages, but also disadvantages, for both humans and animals. The authors end by asserting the importance of taking pets into account in emergency preparedness plans.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords:Anxiety, Welfare indicators, One Welfare, Human-animal relationship, Stress

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Feline Faces: Unraveling the Social Function of Domestic Cat Facial Signals

Lauren Scott, Brittany N. Florkiewicz

Published in 2023

Scientific article documenting the various facial signals produced by cats during affiliative and non-affiliative intraspecific interactions. It demonstrates that cats produce a great number of expressions by combining a set of facial muscle movements in different ways. Affiliative and non-affiliative signals are notably different, and it is possible for humans to distinguish between some of them. 

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Felines

Keywords:Animal-based measurement, Human-animal relationship, Stress

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Cats' and dogs' welfare: text mining and topics modeling analysis of the scientific literature

Chrysa Adamaκopoulou, Beatrice Benedetti, Martina Zappaterra, Martina Felici, Naod Thomas Masebo, Annalisa Previti, Annamaria Passantino, Barbara Padalino

Published in 2023

Scientific review describing the evolution and geographical distribution of the literature on dog and cat welfare over the past 40 years, listing the main research topics and gaps in knowledge.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords:Animal-based measurement, Euthanasia, Population management, Housing, Human-animal relationship, Pain, Societal issues, Stress, Welfare indicators

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Scientific and technical assistance on welfare aspects related to housing and health of cats and dogs in commercial breeding establishments

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Denise Candiani, Julien Drewe, Björn Forkman, Mette S Herskin, Ann Van Soom, Gizella Aboagye, Sean Ashe, Maria Mountricha, Yves Van der Stede, Chiara Fabris

Published in 2023

Report on the existing scientific evidence to support protective measures for cats and dogs in commercial catteries in three areas: housing, health and painful procedures.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Canines, Felines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Enrichment, Housing, Abuse, Human-animal relationship, Pain, Welfare indicators

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Animaux de compagnie, équidés… Tout savoir sur le certificat d’engagement et de connaissance

French Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty

Published in 2023

Document from the Ministry of Agriculture and Food Sovereignty pulling together all the information on the certificate of commitment and knowledge for keepers of equids required by the French law to combat animal abuse of November 30, 2021 and specified in its first implementing Decree of July 18, 2022.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Canine, Equine, Feline

Keywords: Adoption,Abandonment, Education, Human-animal relationship, Population management, abuse, Societal issues

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