The European Parliament has today (Tuesday, April 28) voted in favour of mandatory microchipping and registration of all dogs and cats in the EU.

The bill adopted by MEPS, with 558 in favour, 35 against and 52 abstentions, is the first set of common EU rules relating to breeding, housing, traceability, import and handling of cats and dogs.

The measures seek to stop abusive practices, curb cruel business methods and protect the health of cats and dogs.

Dogs and cats

The new measures include a ban on the mutilation of dogs and cats for shows, exhibitions, or competitions.

Tying a dog or a cat to an object (tethering), except when necessary for medical treatment, and the use of prong and choke collars without built-in safety mechanisms, will also be prohibited.

The breeding of dogs or cats to give them "exaggerated or excessive traits" that lead to significant health risks will also be banned.

Breeding between parents and their offspring, grandparents and grandchildren, as well as between siblings and half-siblings, will also be forbidden.

The new legislation covers not only imports of dogs and cats for commercial purposes but also non-commercial animal movements.

Microchipping

The new regulation, already agreed with European Council, introduces an obligation for all dogs and cats kept in the EU, including those in private ownership, to be identifiable with microchips and registered in inter-operable national databases.

Sellers, breeders and shelters will have four years from the entry into force of the legislation to comply with the regulation.

For pet owners who do not sell animals, the obligation will kick in after 10 years for dogs, and after 15 for cats.

Dogs and cats imported from non-EU countries for sale will have to be microchipped before they enter the EU, and then registered in a national database.

Pet owners entering the EU will be obliged to pre-register their microchipped animal on a database at least five working days before arrival, unless it is already registered in an EU country’s database.

Ireland

In Ireland, it is already a legal requirement to have all dogs microchipped and registered on an approved database.

Under legislation, all dogs must be microchipped by 12 weeks of age. It is illegal to sell, buy, or supply a dog that is not microchipped

However, Minister for Agriculture, Food and the Marine Martin Heydon recently spoke about the need to tackle the amount of dogs that are not being microchipped.

"The latest figures from 2024 indicate 56% of stray dogs entering local authority pounds in 2024 were not microchipped, this needs to change," he said.

Farm organisations have long called for stricter enforcement of the laws around microchipping of dogs given issues around dog attacks on livestock.

Pets

According to the European Commission, which proposed the new rules in December 2023, around 44% of EU citizens have a pet and 74% believe their welfare should be better protected.

The trade in dogs and cats has grown considerably in recent years and is worth €1.3 billion a year.

The commission said that around 60% of owners purchase their dogs or cats online.

The legislation now needs to be adopted by the European Council before it can enter into force.