Animal welfare: “Flemish best practices inspire Europe”

The European Parliament has readied a resolution curbing the illegal trade in dogs and cats. The harmonised identification and registration of pets forms an essential tool in this regard. MEP Geert Bourgeois and Flemish Minister for Animal Welfare Ben Weyts respond with satisfaction to the European plans. “Flanders is taking animal welfare seriously. It is time for serious discussions to be held at European level about animal welfare across borders as well.”

46,000 dogs a month

A quarter of European households have a dog or a cat. Moreover, it is estimated that some 46,000 dogs a month are traded among EU member states, which accounts for a total value of 5 million euros. So there’s a great deal of money to be made in the illegal trade in pets. “Some organisations estimate that an illegal breeder who sells dogs across borders can make a profit of as much as 100,000 euros a year,” Geert Bourgeois says.

More European action

Illegal trade in animals doesn’t stop at national borders. “That’s why the N-VA has been requesting more action at European level for a long time. Although a large number of member states have mandatory registration systems for pets, there are big differences between those systems. Coordination among the systems has to get better. That’s why Flanders too is already working actively on a European platform for a harmonised registration system.”

Flanders shows how it should be done

Finally, Flemish Minister for Animal Welfare Ben Weyts welcomes the action of the European Parliament. “Flanders is now taking animal welfare seriously as a fully-fledged competence. It is time for serious discussions to be held at European level too about measures that strengthen animal welfare across borders. Here we have long had a database for the registration of dogs and also one for the registration of cats. In this way we are able to get lost pets back home and we can also tackle the issue of stray animals and cut off the illegal trade.”