ICAWC 2013 Barcelona, Spain - Claire Calder's presentation on Eurogroup for Animals

1. Working to improve
companion animal welfare
across the EU
Claire Calder
Policy Officer for Companion Animals

2. About Eurogroup
• The primary federation representing animal
welfare organisations across the EU

3. About Eurogroup
• Member organisations in almost all Member
States
• Primarily work for introduction, improvement
& enforcement of EU laws & policies
• Also work in other ways. For example, by
influencing industry standards.

4. Background
• Historically very little EU legislation to protect
companion animal welfare
• Member State legislation varies
greatly
• This results in varying standards
of welfare

5. Background
• 2010 Council Conclusions on the welfare of
dogs and cats:
• Study differences between Member States
regarding the breeding of and EU trade in dogs
and cats...
• Study and propose...systems for identification
and registration of dogs and cats...

6. Background
• Study and present...a specific proposal to
restrict...the exhibition at public events of dogs
and cats having undergone a non-curative
surgical intervention...
• Develop...appropriate actions to promote and
support education concerning responsible dog
and cat ownership...

7. EU Animal Welfare
Strategy 2012-2015
Includes dogs and cats!
• A simplified EU legislative
framework for animal welfare
• Study on the welfare of dogs
and cats involved in
commercial practices

8. Animal Health Strategy
2007-2013
Ongoing:
• An EU Animal Health Law
– Will include provisions for
dogs and cats

9. Eurogroup priorities
• First strategic plan developed for dogs and
cats, for 2013-2015
• Consultation with:
• Advisory Board for companion animals
• Member organisations

10. Eurogroup priorities
Prioritised issues depending on:
• Upcoming EU activities
• Relevance across Member States
• No. of animals affected
• Severity and duration of
suffering

11. Eurogroup priorities
Priorities for 2013-2015:
• Commercial breeding &
trade
• Selective breeding
• Cross border movements

12. Commercial breeding
and trade

13. Commercial breeding
& trade
• Breeders in the EU can range from hobby
breeders to large scale breeding
establishments
• Traders can range from breeders selling
directly from their home, to online traders, to
traders at pet markets
• Welfare issues can occur regardless of scale,
at every step of the chain

14. Commercial breeding
& trade
Scientific research on dog breeding:
• Commercial breeding establishments can produce
puppies which are physically and behaviourally
unsound
• Non-domestic breeding environments can be
associated with behaviour problems later in life
• Breeding dogs from commercial breeding
establishments can have higher rates of health
and behaviour problems compared to pet dogs

15. Commercial breeding
& trade
Online sale:
• Recent work by PAAG highlighted puppy being
sold in exchange for a mobile phone and Golden
Retriever wanted for swap with Chihuahua
• New owner can’t see where their pet has been
bred so likely to be unaware of the experiences
their pet has had

16. Selective breeding

17. Selective breeding
Welfare issues can be split into:
• Exaggerated comformations
• Inherited disorders
Photo: arash_rk

18. Exaggerated
conformations
• Many dog and cat breeds have been bred to
emphasise physical features
• E.g. Short, flat faces, bulging or sunken eyes
and wrinkled skin
Photo: Poi Photography

19. Exaggerated
conformations
• Some features are so extreme they can
cause pain and suffering, make animals
prone to particular disorders or prevent them
from behaving normally.
Photo: Sunfox

20. Inherited disorders
• Rules of dog and cat showing mean that
different breeds have been bred separately
for many years
• One of the effects = lack of genetic diversity =
increased risk of inherited disorders
• Research has shown that every breed of dog
that is well studied is prone to a range of
diseases

21. Inherited disorders
• Examples include cancer,
blindness and epilepsy
• Some inherited disorders
may cause only minor
suffering. Others can be
extremely painful and last for
a large part of an animal’s
life.
Photo: Will-travel

22. Cross border
movements

23. Cross border
movements
Dogs and cats may be
moved for:
• Sale
• Rehoming
• Owner moving or going
on holiday
• Taking part in shows or
events

24. Cross border
movements
• Diseases can be transferred between
countries
• Poses serious risk to animal and human
health if effective preventative measures not
taken
• EU legislation to minimise risk of rabies
spread, but other diseases also of concern.
E.g. Leishmaniasis

25. Cross border
movements
The distribution of L. infantum infection in Europe
Reference: Solano-Gallego et al. (2011)

26. Upcoming EU
opportunities for
dogs and cats

27. Animal Health Law
• A single horizontal legal framework
• Existing legislation will be simplified and
replaced by this new framework
• Will replace pet movement legislation
• Vote in Committee expected
early 2014

28. Animal Health Law
Eurogroup is calling for:
• Permanent identification and registration of
dogs and cats
• This should be on an appropriate database,
linked to a database which is accessible
across the EU

29. Animal Health Law
52 national databases across the EU already
linked to Europetnet (www.europetnet.com)

30. Animal Health Law
Eurogroup is also calling for:
• Licensing of dog and cat
breeders
• Eurogroup producing
guidelines for breeding of
dogs and cats, which
licensing conditions could
be based on

31. European Commission
Study
• Will focus on issues associated with the
breeding and trade of dogs and cats
• Consumer protection
• Internal market
• Animal welfare
• 1 year study
•
Reporting by late 2014

32. European Commission
Study
• 28/10/13: study launched
at 1st European
Commission conference
on dogs and cats
• Opportunity for key
stakeholders to discuss the
issues of breeding and
trade

33. European Commission
Study
Outcome of conference and study will
inform whether any EU action is taken
• Conference: Eurogroup will present the
perspective of our member organisations
• Study: Eurogroup will engage with the
Commission to share
information

34. Animal Welfare
Framework Law
• Commission to perform a feasibility
study on a simplified EU legislative
Framework
• ‘Animal welfare principles for all
animals kept in the context of an
economic activity, including where
appropriate pet animals’
• Decision expected towards end of
2014

35. Animal Welfare
Framework Law
Eurogroup is calling for this to:
• Implement the requirements of Article 13 of
the Treaty for the functioning of the EU
• Cover all categories of animals, including pet
animals
• Cover the welfare of animals during their
entire life, including breeding, keeping,
transport and euthanasia.

36. How you can help!

37. How you can help
• Share information with us!
• Breeding, trade and cross border movements
• Data, case studies, reports, media articles…
• Look out for Eurogroup’s manifestos and
positions and engage with your MEPs

38. How you can help
• Sign our pledge board!

39. Keep in touch
Email:
c.calder@eurogroupforanimals.org
Twitter:
@ClaireEG4A