Discipline: Veterinary

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 relationships

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Final Report of an Audit of Romania carried out from 3 May to 28 November 2022 in order to Evaluate Animal Welfare Controls during Transport by Livestock Vessel to non-EU Countries

DG SANTE, European Commission

Published in 2023

Audit report identifying both improvements and weaknesses in the system set up to monitor the welfare of animals transported by sea from Romania to third countries. It contains recommendations to the competent authorities concerning the licencing of transporters, pre-loading inspections of livestock vessels, and dealing with notifications of non-compliance in a timely way.

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories:Cattle, Goats, Equines, Sheep, Pigs

Keywords: Human-animal relationships,Societal issues, Transport

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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

Keywords: One Welfare, Human-animal relationships, 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 relationships,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

Keywords: One Welfare, Human-animal relationships, Transport,Societal issues

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The importance of slaughterhouses in monitoring the occurrence of tail biting in pigs - Review

M. Svoboda, N. Hodkovicova, A. Siwicki, W. Szweda

Published in 2023

Scientific review of factors influencing the incidence of tail biting on pig farms and of prevention strategies, looking at tail docking, the negative effects of tail biting in pigs, the advantages and disadvantages of examining tail lesions in abattoirs, and setting out a methodical procedure for assessing tail lesions.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Aggression, Aggressiveness, Pain, Societal issues, Mutilation, livestock farming system

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Pain scoring systems in hospitalized horses with ocular disease

Dayna Jodzio, Sally DeNotta, Caryn Plummer, Chris Sanchez

Published in 2023

Scientific article evaluating the Horse Grimace Scale and Behavioral Pain Score in hospitalized horses with ocular disease, and concluding that these may represent a useful tool for monitoring progress and response to treatment in these horses.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Equines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Pain, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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Review: castration - animal welfare considerations

Gabriela A. Marquette,Stephanie Ronan, Bernadette Earley

Published in 2023

Scientific review of scientific assessments of the impact of castration on cattle welfare, including pain and injury, stress, inflammation, effects on the immune system and on production levels. It describes the different methods of castration, the pain responses associated with each, and how age and pain mitigation strategies affect these responses.

Document Types: Scientific review

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Animal-based measurements, Pain, Welfare indicators, Human-animal relationships, Stress

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The use of animal-based measures at slaughter for assessing the welfare of beef cattle on farm: EFSA AHAW Network exercise

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), Marika Vitali, Gizella Aboagye, Sean Ashe, Chiara Fabris, Yves Van de Stede, Denise Candiani

Published in 2023

Report listing those animal-based measures that the AHAW network considers useful to record and monitor in abattoirs as a means to assess the on-farm welfare of cattle. The information contained in this report will be used to draw up EFSA's scientific opinion on the welfare of cattle on farm, due in 2025.

Document Types: Scientific paper

Animal categories: Bovines

Keywords:Adaptation of the animal to the environment, Adaptation of the environment to the animal, Animal-based measurements, Welfare indicators, Carcass quality, Stress, Livestock farming system

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European Parliament: written answer to question E-002695/23: The continued practice of tail docking in Europe

Question: Auélia Beigneux (ID). Answer: Mrs Kyriakides on behalf of the European Commission

Published in 2023

Answer to a question on how the European Commission intends to enforce the 1991 directive on the protection of pigs, with regard to tail docking in particular, and whether it has put measures in place to help farmers conform with the regulations. 

Document types: Regulation/Certification

Animal categories: Porcines

Keywords:Pain, Mutilation, Human-animal relationships, Societal issues, Stress

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