What changed between the plenary report and the adopted text

Removed:Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point b: (b) the traceability of dogs and cats placed on the Union market.

Added:Amendments 282 and 311

Added:Article 1 – paragraph 1 – point b

Added:Amendment: (b) the traceability of dogs and cats bred or kept in the Union or placed on the Union market.

Added:Article 2 – paragraph 2 b (new): 2b. Notwithstanding paragraph 2 of this Article, the requirements relating to identification and registration laid down in Article 17 shall apply to all dogs and cats held under the responsibility of natural persons.

Changed:Article 3 – paragraph 1 – point 5: 5. ‘placing on the market’ means the sale, offering for sale, distribution or any other form of transfer of ownership or responsibilityresponsibility, ofwhether dogsin return for payment or catsfree inof thecharge, courseexcluding occasional and irregular donations of asmall commercialnumbers activity,of whetherdogs inand returncats forby paymentnatural orpersons freeby means other than via the intermediation of charge,an online platform, as well as the advertising of dogsanimals orfor catsthe online;above purposes;

Removed:Article 4 – paragraph 1 – indent 1: – breeding establishments keeping up to four bitches and producing in total three litters or less per establishment and calendar year;

Added:Article 4 – paragraph 1 – indent 1: – a breeding establishment where at most two litters per calendar year are produced for placing on the market shall only be subject to the obligations laid down in Article 5, Article 6(1), (1a) and (1b), Articles 6a, 7 and 8, Article 11(2), (3) and (4), Article 12(3), (4) and (7), Article 13(2), points (b), (c) and (d), Article 14(2), (3), (4) and (5a), Article 15 and Article 15a(1).

Removed:Article 6 – paragraph 2: 2. Operators shall ensure that dogs and cats are handled by a suitable number of animal caretakers to meet the welfare needs of dogs or cats kept in their establishments.

Changed:Article 8 – paragraph 22: –“An subparagraphanimal 2:is “Asnot a toy. Buying or adopting an animal is a life-changing decision. As an animal owner, you are obliged to ensure that its health and well-being needs are met at all times. Taking care of an animal requiredrequires financial resources. Abandonment of pets goes against responsible care.” Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as imposing a general monitoring obligation on the provider ofIt theis onlineforbidden platformto withinabandon the meaning ofanimal Articleonce 8it ofis Regulationin (EU)your 2022/2065.“care.”

Changed:Article 10 – paragraph 1 – point a: (a) ensure that the establishments under their responsibility receive a visit by a veterinarian... by[1 year after the date of application of this RegulationRegulation] or within the first year from the date of the notification of a new establishment, for the purposeestablishments ofunder identifyingtheir andresponsibility assessingreceive, anyat riskleast factoronce fora theyear, welfarean ofunannounced thevisit dogsby andan catsofficial andveterinarian, advisinghired by the operatorcompetent onauthority, measuresfor tothe addresspurpose of identifying and assessing any risk factor for animal welfarewelfare, andadvising tothe followoperator upor onthe actionsnatural takenor bylegal person responsible for the operatorshelter inon responsemeasures to recommendations madeaddress byrisks visitingfor veterinarian;animal thereafterwelfare, thehealth visitsand fromthe aenvironment veterinarianand, shallif takethe placefindings whenindicate appropriate,severe basedrisk onfactors, a risk analysisreport byto the competent authorities;authority Memberin Statesaccordance maywith provideRegulation for(EU) that2017/625 theand advisorya welfarefollow-up visitsvisit arewithin annual;two months;

Added:Article 12 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 a (new): Keeping or selling dogs or cats in pet shops shall be prohibited.

Changed:Article 13 – paragraph 2 – point e a (new): (ea) if available, relevant health related information shall be provided to the acquirer of a dog or a cat, including information on vaccination, allergies, health conditions and on responsible ownership in accordance with articleArticle 8(1). / Point (a) shall not apply to breeding establishments where livestock guardian dogs are kept during the periods when such dogs are used for herding or training purposes.

Removed:Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point d: (d) procedures for hygienic, health or reproductive purpose;

Removed:Article 14 – paragraph 2 – point e: (e) medical treatment.

Changed:Article 15 – paragraph 1 a (new): 1a. The medical indication for the mutilation and details of procedure to be carried out,shallout, shall be documented by a veterinarian. This document shall be retained by the operator until the dog or cat, along with this document, are transferred to another establishment or owner. The operator of the establishment responsible for the dog or cat when the mutilation was performed by the veterinarian shall retain a copy of the document for three years. / By way of derogation, Member States may allow ear cropping by notching or tipping cat ears in the context of marking stray cats when neutered under trap-neuter programmes.

Changed:Article 15 – paragraph 3 a (new): 3a. By way of derogation from paragraph 3: / (a) the practices referred to in point (c) of paragraph 3 may be performed for medical reasons and limited to the minimum period necessary; / (b) the practice referred to in points (b), (c) and (d) of paragraph 3 may be performed or public health, public safety, security in which cases the duration shall be limited to the minimum time necessary and the dog or cat shall be supervised. / Member States may grant derogations from paragraph 3 for dogs intended for use in military, police or customs services.

Changed:Article 17 – paragraph 1 b (new): 1b. Operators of selling establishments, shelters, and those responsible for unwanted, abandoned, stray, lost or confiscated dogs and cats that enter their establishments or come under their responsibility shall ensure that dogs and cats are individually identified within 30/1530 days after their arrival at the establishment and in any event before the date of their placing on the market.

Added:Article 17 – paragraph 1 e (new): 1e. From ... [5 years from the date of entry into force of this Regulation], all dogs kept shall be individually identified in accordance with paragraph 1. / From ... [10 years from the date of entry into force of this Regulation], all cats kept shall be individually identified in accordance with paragraph 1.

Added:Article 19 – paragraph 2 b (new): 2b. The Commission and the competent authorities of Member States shall co-operate to establish and maintain a publicly accessible database of animal shelter establishments across the Union, ensuring transparency and accountability in the adherence to animal welfare law.

Removed:Article 21 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2: deleted

Added:Article 21 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2: In case the dogs or cats entering into the Union are not yet registered in a Member State database as referred to in Article 19(1), they shall be registered in the database of the Member State of entry by a veterinarian at the Union border. The registration shall be made in the name of the owner or person responsible for the animal and it shall record the establishment of origin listed in accordance with paragraph 2. Member States may allow the registration by persons other than veterinarians, provided that they have measures in place to ensure the accuracy of information inserted in the database.

Changed:Article 25 – paragraph 1: 1. This Regulation shall not prevent Member States from maintaining or adopting any stricter national rules aimed at a more extensive protection of the welfare of dogs and cats, kept in establishments and to their traceability, provided that those rules are not inconsistent with this Regulation and do not interfere with the proper functioning of the internal market. Before Member States shall inform the Commission about such national rules. The Commission shall bring them to the attention of the other Member States.

Changed:Article 26 – paragraph 1 a (new): 1a. By 2... [2 years from the date of entry into force of this Regulation], the Commission shall assess the possibility of registering dogs and cats, in accordance with Article 21(3), upon their entry into the Union, and shall present a report on its main findings to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee and the Committee of the Regions.

Added:Article 26 – paragraph 2 a (new): 2a. By ... [5 years after the date of entry into force of this Regulation], the Commission shall: / (a) carry out an evaluation and a review of this Regulation, including an assessment of a possible maximum age for the breeding of dogs and cats; / (b) carry out an assessment of the situation of stray animals; / (c) establish a list of animal species allowed to be kept and placed on the market, where a prior impact assessment has shown its added value and feasibility; / (d) assess the potential extension of the scope of this Regulation to include other animals by amending this Regulation; / (e) assess the possibility of using alternative means of identification which are less invasive than the implantation of a transponder; and / (f) present a report on the main findings of points (a) to (e) to the European Parliament, the Council, the European Economic and Social Committee, and the Committee of the Regions.

Added:Article 27 – paragraph 2 a (new): Considering the administrative burden of animal shelters and organisations responsible for the management of populations of stray dogs and cats in addition to the existing economic constraints, Member States may explore the capabilities of streamlining resources recovered from infringements of this Regulation to support and cover the administrative and operational costs of shelters and organisations responsible for the management of stray populations of dogs or cats.

Removed:Annex I – point 1 – point 1.1 – point b: deleted

Changed:Annex I – point 2 – point 2.2 a (new): 2.2 a.2.2a. Dogs shall have access to an outdoor area or shall be walked daily for a minimum of 1 hour per day in total, or to allow exercise, exploration and socialisation

Changed:Annex I – point 3 – point 3.4 a (new): 3.4 a.3.4a. Any bitch or queen that has undergone two cesarean sections shall no longer be used for breeding

Changed:Annex I – point 3 – point 3.4 b (new): 3.4 b.3.4b. Before any bitch aged 8 years or more and any queen aged 6 years or more, is used for breeding, it must have been physically examined by a veterinarian who confirms in writing that, at the time of the examination, there are no counter-indications to pregnancy. The operator shall keep the written confirmation referred for a period of at least 3 years

Changed:Article 14 – paragraph 2 – introductory part: 2. Keeping dogs and cats in areas restraining their natural movements shall be prohibited, except in case of Article 12(3), second sub-paragraph,subparagraph, and for performing the following procedures or treatments:

Changed:Article 22 – paragraph 1 – point c: (c) lightinlighting requirements;

Changed:Article 26 – paragraph 1 – point c (new): (c) whether scientificalscientific and technological progress has occurred, including development of new means of identification, taking into account their technical reliability, cost-effectiveness and invasiveness for the animal;

Changed:Annex III – point 1: 1. Number of dogs and cats registered per year as referred to in Article 17 and Article 21 (4);21(4);

Added:Recital 1: (1) Live animals, including cats and dogs are covered by Annex I to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, form part of the common agricultural policy of the Union and their welfare should be protected. There is a market for these animals in the Union, including substantial cross-border trade. Many Member States are signatories to the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals. There is a wide range of evidence of sub-optimal functioning of the internal market for dogs and cats in the Union as well as of illegal trade in these animals within the Union and at import into the Union. Therefore, considering the findings on animals, which recognise their capacity for emotions, pain and social interactions, it is necessary to establish minimum requirements for the welfare of dogs and cats that are bred and kept in establishments, as well as strengthened requirements regarding the traceability of dogs and cats placed on the Union market.

Added:Recital 2: (2) Dogs and cats, with its own unique biological and behavioural needs, are traded and kept as pets in the Union. The absence of Union welfare provisions on breeding, keeping and placing on the market of dogs and cats, as well as divergent national rules where they exist, have sometimes led to those animals being born, bred and sold or adopted at no cost, in circumstances which could have serious detrimental consequences to their welfare. Competition between commercial breeders of dogs and cats in different Member States is not conducted on a level playing field because animal welfare conditions are one of the main elements of the competitiveness of these operators and they differ considerably between Member States. As a consequence, competition is distorted, especially for high standards breeders and keepers, which are unable to monetise their investments into animal welfare when they trade cross border because they are confronted with operators that profit from sub-standard animal welfare conditions to exert competition and drive prices and standards down.

Removed:Recital 1: (1) Live animals, including cats and dogs are covered by Annex I to the Treaty on the Functioning of the European Union, form part of the common agricultural policy of the Union and their welfare should be protected. There is a market for these animals in the Union, including substantial cross-border trade. Many Member States are signatories to the European Convention for the Protection of Pet Animals. There is a wide range of evidence of sub-optimal functioning of the internal market for dogs and cats in the Union as well as of illegal trade in these animals within the Union and at import into the Union. Therefore, considering the findings on animals, which recognise their capacity for emotions, pain and social interactions,it is necessary to establish minimum requirements for the welfare of dogs and cats that are bred and kept in establishments, as well as strengthened requirements regarding the traceability of dogs and cats placed on the Union market.

Removed:Recital 2: (2) Dogs and cats, with its own unique biological and behavioural needs, are traded and kept as pets in the Union. The absence of Union welfare provisions on breeding, keeping and placing on the market of dogs and cats, as well as divergent national rules where they exist, have very often sometimes led to and to those animals being born, bred and sold or adopted at no cost, in circumstances and to serious consequences detrimental to their welfare. Competition between commercial breeders of dogs and cats in different Member States is not conducted on a level playing field because animal welfare conditions are one of the main elements of the competitiveness of these operators and they differ considerably between Member States. As a consequence, competition is distorted, especially for high standards breeders and keepers, which are unable to monetise their investments into animal welfare when they trade cross border because they are confronted with operators that profit from sub-standard animal welfare conditions to exert competition and drive prices and standards down.

Changed:Recital 8 a (new): (8a) Regulation (EU) 2016/429 of the European Parliament and of the Council 54 regulates transmissible animal diseases for the purpose of avoiding the spread of such diseases in the Union. The health of animals is one of the five domains of animal welfare, and thus addressed in this Regulation. However, this Regulation does not address the diseases listed in Regulation (EU) 2016/429, but rather the state of health of dogs and cats as shaped by non-communicable diseases (for example injuries) or non-listed diseases (for example certain parasites). The rules laid down in this Regulation are therefore complementary to Regulation (EU) 2016/429 and do not duplicate or overlap with the rules laid down in that Regulation.

Changed:Recital 11 a (new): (11a) The occasional supply of puppies and kittens by their owners who keep dogs or cats for personal or familial enjoyment and companionship and without any commercial intent or purpose, does not have a significant impact on the internal market and it is therefore justified to exclude such supply activities from the scope of application of this Regulation .Regulation.

Changed:Recital 13: (13) Directive 2010/63/EU of the European Parliament and of the Council4 regulates the keeping, breeding and supply of animals kept for scientific purposes including dogs and cats. Regulation (EU) 2019/6 of the European Parliament and of the Council regulates clinical trials for veterinary medicinal products involving the use of animals, including dogs and cats. Dogs and cats intended or used for scientific purposes as well as dogs and cats used in clinical trials required for the marketing authorisation of veterinary medicinal products should therefore be excluded from the scope of application of this RegulationRegulation.

Changed:Recital 17: (17) Moreover, in the Union market different types of operators carrying out different types of activities with respectplace todogs theand placingcats on the market of dogs and cats.market. Aside from commercial breeders there are selling establishments where dogs and cats, that are typically born and bred in other establishments, are kept for sale. The protection of these animals may be suboptimal, and there are no common welfare standards that need to be observed in these establishments. Given that selling establishments are commercial operators that place on the market dogs and cats, it is therefore necessary to apply the requirements of this Regulation to these establishments.

Changed:Recital 19: (19) Despite the differences in the activities carried out by commercial breeders and selling establishments, on the one hand, and animal shelters, on the other, they all place dogs and cats in the Union market and there is a certain amount of overlap, especially at the level of the demand. When looking for a dog or cat, consumers make choices between buying an animal from a breeder (either directly or through a selling establishment or intermediary), or adopting one from a shelter. The acquisition of dogs or cats directly from pet owners is marginal. One important factor in the choice of a dog or a cat is the possible behavioural or other problems that the animal may exhibit because of having been kept in poor welfare conditions and which may reduce their suitability to be kept as a pet animal, irrespective of whether the animal has been kept in a commercial breeding establishment, in a selling establishment or in a shelter. Moreover, given that trade is also conducted by intermediaries and mostly online, consumers may not be aware before they acquire a dog or a cat of whether the animal originates from a shelter, a breeder or a selling establishment. Providing such information could assist buyers in making informed and responsible choices. There is evidence that the number of animals placed on the Union market by shelters is significant, in particular for cats. There is also evidence that animals are placed on the market from shelters in some Member States to prospective pet owners in…pe…

Changed:Recital 20: (20) In addition, given the significant numbers of animals placed on market inthein the Union by shelters, and the need to ensure the achievement of the objectives of this Regulation regarding traceability and prevention of illegal trade, shelters should also be subject to the requirements of this Regulation concerning identification and registration of dogs and cats, regardless of whether or not their activity can be considered economic in nature. Operators responsible for shelters should be encouraged to take appropriate measures to prevent reproduction of the dogs or catskeptcats kept in shelters.

Changed:Recital 25 a (new): (25a) In order to ensure high level of animal welfare veterinarians maintain an appropriate degree of professional independence from the operator, as well as comprehensive education and ongoing training to stay abreast of scientific and professional advances. This training may, as appropriate, also encompass elements related to recognising instances of violence and animal abuse .abuse.

Changed:Recital 36 a (new): (36a) Dogs used in the military, police and customs services normally undergo a very specific type of training to be prepared in the interest of national security. In order to have the possibility to attain the training deemed most appropriate, Member States should be able to grant derogations for dogs kept in breeding or selling establishments which are destined to be military, police or custom dogsdogs.

Changed:Recital 37: (37) Prior inspection of establishments by official veterinarians or other professionals, in case the official control task has been delegated, and consequent approval of establishments is an effective way to ensure that establishments comply with the requirements of this Regulation. However, given the limited availability of official veterinarians in Member States, it is not proportionate to require prior on-site inspection and approval for all establishments so that official veterinarians should focus on establishments representing a higher risk from the point of view of animal welfare. The conditions in breeding establishments are particularly critical to ensure that dogs and cats are properly bred, kept and treated before being placed on the market, in particular due to the consequences that poor animal welfare conditions at an early age can have for dogs and cats. It is therefore important that those establishments are approved by the competent authorities and are subject to onsite pre-inspection before their approval. It is also important that a list of those approved establishments is publicly available to allow potential buyers to verify the status of the breeding establishments and thus to strengthen public control and citizens' awarenessawareness.

Changed:Article 17 – paragraph 1 c (new): 1c. Natural or legal persons, other than operators, placing dogs or cats on the market shall ensure that they are individually identified before the date orof their placing on the market.

Changed:Article 26 – paragraph 1 – point b (new): (b) whether the scope of this Regulation remains fit for purpose, taking into account market developments, scientific and technological progress,andprogress, and animal welfare considerations; and whether the current exceptions remain appropriate and sufficient in light of these developments;