Brussels 29.04.2026 The EU lawmakers approved the first-ever common European rules for cats and dogs, including bans on abusive practices and illegal pet trading.

MEPs have given their final green light to the first ever EU standards for the breeding, housing, traceability, import and handling of cats and dogs.

Learn more: https://t.co/UjfkJ2wO1e pic.twitter.com/EONeX6wVny

— European Parliament (@Europarl_EN) April 28, 2026

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The European Parliament in Strasbourg voted on the final text that also introduces minimum welfare criteria for dogs and cats in kennels and shelters.

Pets are not products – they are family. That’s why Europe is finally stepping up with common rules to protect dogs and cats from illegal trade, abusive breeding and poor traceability. One market means one standard: better welfare, clearer responsibility, real enforcement. And… pic.twitter.com/TfMBxKZ8aH

— European Democrats (@democrats_eu) April 29, 2026

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The EU aims at better regulate a market worth 1.3 billion euros ($1.5 billion), and animal rights groups say the rules will help tackle animal trafficking from countries like Bulgaria and Romania.

The European Union is home to over 72 million dogs and 83 million cats, according to the European Commission. The 27-country bloc has so far only had rules on health requirements for cats and dogs travelling inside the EU.

MEPs will vote at noon today on the first ever EU standards for the breeding, housing, traceability, import and handling of cats and dogs, agreed with EU member states at the end of last year.
Under the new law, all dogs and cats kept in the EU, including those in private… pic.twitter.com/lVHYsqhLCB

— EU today (@EU_today) April 28, 2026

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The rules introduce bans on harmful breeding practices as well as on ear-cropping and tail-docking, and cats and dogs must have microchips.

Here below is the rotten crate (pictured) where Zlatimira Ninova Colova, the European Pariament assistant, and EU politician-aspirant kept her late aunt dog Arik since December 2021.

Do you agree that the employees of the EU Insitutions should abide privately to the rules, which are announced publically?