What changed between the plenary report and the adopted text

Article 13 – paragraph 2 a (new): 2a. The euthanasia of a dog or a cat in animal shelters as a population management solution is prohibited.

Article 13 – paragraph 2 – point e b (new): (eb) health care for animals is aligned with a ‘One Health’ approach, such as the prudent use of antibiotics to avoid anti-microbial resistance (AMR).

Article 13 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part: Operators responsible for breeding establishments and their caretakers shall ensure that:

Article 13 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point -a (new): (-a) measures are taken to safeguard the health of dogs or cats in accordance with point 3 of Annex I;

Article 13 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point a: (a) bitches or queens are only bred if they have a minimum age in accordance with point 3 of Annex I, their skeletal growth is completed, and they have no diagnosed disease, clinical sign of diseases or physical conditions which could negatively impact their pregnancy and welfare;

Article 13 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point b: (b) litter-giving pregnancies of bitches or queens follows a maximum frequency in accordance with point 3 of Annex I; ;

Article 13 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point d: deleted

Article 13 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point e: (e) dogs and cats which are no longer used for reproduction, including as a result of the provisions of this Regulation, are either kept or sold, donated or rehomed, not killed or abandoned.

Article 13 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2: deleted

Article 13 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2 a (new): When operators and natural or legal persons responsible for shelters possess results of health tests of a dog or a cat or genetic reports and diagnoses of sire or dam of the pet animal in question, they shall share this information with the animal´s acquirer.

Article 13 – paragraph 4: deleted

Article 14 – paragraph 1: 1. Operators shall ensure that measures are taken to meet the behavioural needs of cats or dogs in accordance with point 4 of Annex I.

Article 14 – paragraph 3: 3. Tethering shall be prohibited, except for the duration of a medical treatment.

Article 14 – paragraph 5 a (new): 5a. Operators shall ensure that enrichment is provided and accessible to all dogs or cats, creating a stimulating environment, enabling species-specific behaviour and reducing their frustration.

Article 14 – paragraph 5 b (new): 5b. Member States may grant derogations from paragraph 3 for dogs intended for use in military, police and customs services that are kept in breeding or selling establishments.

Article 15 – paragraph 1: 1. Mutilations, including ear cropping, tail docking, claw removal or other partial or complete digit amputation, and resection of vocal cords or folds, shall be prohibited unless they are performed upon medical indication, which may include prophylactic, diagnostic, and/or treatment reasons, with the sole purpose of , preserving, improving the health of dogs or cats or preventing injury. In such case, the procedure shall only be performed by a veterinarian under anaesthesia and prolonged analgesia.

Article 15 – paragraph 2: 2. Operators shall ensure that neutering is only performed under anesthesia and prolongued analgesia by a veterinarian. / Veterinarians may consider non-surgical sterilisation to neutering, whenever appropriate.

Article 15 – paragraph 3 – introductory part: 3. The following handling practices that cause pain or suffering shall be prohibited:

Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point d: (d) prolonged using of muzzles, unless required for health or welfare reasons, in which case the duration shall be limited to the minimum period necessary.

Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point e: (e) lifting dogs or cats by the limbs, the head, the tail, ears, skin or the hair.

Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point e a (new): (ea) using prong collars;

Article 15 – paragraph 3 – point e b (new): (eb) using choke collars without safety top;

Article 17 – paragraph 2: 2. Within two working days after their identification, in accordance with paragraph 1, the dogs and cats shall be registered by the veterinarian, in a national database referred to in Article 19. Member States may allow the registration by other persons than veterinarians, provided that they have measures in place to ensure the accuracy of information inserted in the database. For dogs and cats kept in establishments, the registration shall be made in the name of the operator of the establishment responsible for the dog or the cat. For natural persons placing a dog or a cat on the market, the registration shall be made in the name of that person. In case of transfer of ownership or responsibility, the natural or legal person placing, the dog or the cat on the market, shall ensure that any change of ownership or responsibility is recorded in the database referred to in Article 19, within two weeks from the date of change of ownership or responsibility, in accordance with the conditions laid down by the Member State responsible.

Article 17 – paragraph 2 a (new): 2a. In the case of a death of a dog or a cat kept in an establishment, the operator shall ensure that the death is recorded in the database referred to in Article 19, in accordance with the conditions laid down by the Member State responsible for that database.

Article 17 – paragraph 2 b (new): 2b. Member States may grant derogations from paragraph 2 and 2a for military, police and customs dogs that are kept in establishments.

Article 17 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part: Before placing a dog or a cat on the market the operators or natural or legal persons placing the dog or cat on the market shall provide to the acquirer of the animal:

Article 17 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 1 – point a: (a) proof of the identification and registration of dog or cat in compliance with paragraphs 1 and 2 and a weblink to the system referred to in paragraph 6;

Article 17 – paragraph 3 – subparagraph 2: Acquirers shall be able to verify the authenticity of the identification and registration of dogs or cats placed on the market through the system referred to in paragraph 7.

Article 17 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 1: Providers of online platforms shall ensure that their online interface is designed and organised in such a way that facilitates the operators or other natural or legal persons placing dogs or cats on the market to comply with their obligations under paragraph 3, and Article 8 paragraph 2 in line with Article 31 of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065, and shall inform acquirers, in a visible manner, of the possibility to verify the identification and registration of the dog or cat through a weblink to the system referred to in paragraph 6.

Article 17 – paragraph 4 – subparagraph 2: The natural or legal person placing dogs or cats on the market shall be the solely responsible for the accuracy of the information provided through the interface of the online platform. Nothing in this paragraph shall be construed as imposing a general monitoring obligation on the provider of the online platform within the meaning of Article 8 of Regulation (EU) 2022/2065.

Article 17 – paragraph 5: deleted

Article 17 – paragraph 6 – introductory part: 6. The Commission shall ensure that an online system performing automated checks of the authenticity of the identification and registration of dogs or cats placed on the market, using the database referred to in Article 19, is publicly available free of charge . The Commission may entrust the development, maintenance and operation of this system to an independent entity following a public selection process, pursuant to the relevant provisions of Title VII of Regulation (EU, Euratom) 2018/1046. The system shall meet the following criteria:

Article 17 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 1 – introductory part: The Commission shall adopt implementing acts laying down:

Article 17 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 1 – point a (new): (a) based on the content of the databases referred to in Article 19(3), point a, the exact information to be provided by natural and legal persons placing dogs or cats on the market, as proof of identification and registration of the dogs and cats in accordance with point (a) of paragraph 3, both in cases where the dogs and cats are offered through online platforms and by other means;

Article 17 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 1 – point a – indent 2 a (new): – the categories of personal data that are made available to the verifying person during the verification of the identification and registration, that shall be limited to those strictly needed to enable such verification.

Article 17 – paragraph 7 – – subparagraph 1 – point b (new): (b) the following aspects of the system referred to in paragraph 6: / - the key functionalities of the system;

Article 17 – paragraph 7 – subparagraph 1 a(new): The implementing acts referred to in point (a) shall be adopted by [the date of application of this Regulation] and the implementing act referred to in point (b) shall be adopted by [3 years from date of entry into force of this Regulation]

Article 18 – paragraph 1 – point a a (new): (aa) ensuring that veterinarians and other relevant professionals receive training on best practices in animal welfare, including on the detection and reporting of welfare violations including painful practices as set out in Article 15, in line with One Health principles.

Article 18 – paragraph 1 – point a b (new): (ab) ensuring that operators, natural or legal persons responsible for shelters, foster homes and pounds, animal caretakers and veterinarians receive adequate and regular training and certificates for the completion of the training courses referred to in point (a);

Article 18 – paragraph 1 – point a c (new): (ac) ensuring that shelter medicine courses, including those with a focus on herd health, are available for veterinarians;

Article 18 – paragraph 1 – point a d (new): (ad) ensuring that trainers and handlers of dogs intended for military, police and customs services receive regular training within and preferably across Member States in order to improve their skills especially on operant conditioning and positive reinforcement, on behavioural science and welfare principles, and on stress management for both dogs and handlers;

Article 18 – paragraph 1 – point b a (new): (ba) facilitating collaboration between competent authorities, veterinary associations, and educational institutions to develop and promote high-quality, long term science-based training programmes for animal caretakers and veterinary professionals, increasing the cooperation between relevant agencies and the synergies between the information campaigns.

Article 18 a (new): Article 18a / National information campaigns on the protection of stray animals and legislation concerning the protection of stray animals / 1. Member States are encouraged to initiate and implement national information campaigns on current legislation concerning the protection and welfare of dogs and cats. These campaigns must be aimed both at animal owners and at the general public, in order to raise awareness about the legal obligations and best practices in caring for animals. / 2. Information campaigns may be conducted by the competent authorities in collaboration with animal protection organisations, veterinarians and other relevant entities. The information communicated shall include: / (a) the legal obligations of keepers of pet animals; / (b) the responsibilities and actions of local authorities in managing strays, as well as the actions that they are to take to prevent abandonment; / (c) the steps to be taken if a person finds a lost or abandoned animal, including contacting veterinary services, animal shelters or the local police; / (d) a statement of the importance of responsible adoption and neutering to reduce the stray animal population. / 3. Member States may provide national or regional funding for these campaigns and may encourage the participation of mass media and educational establishments with a view to disseminating the information further. / 4. The Commission shall encourage the exchange of best practices between Member States.

Article 18 b (new): Article 18b / Measures to prevent abandonment and promote the neutering of dogs and cats / 1. Member States shall be encouraged to adopt concrete measures to prevent the abandonment of dogs and cats, including through public education, by raising awareness about responsible ownership and through the effective enforcement of existing legislation. / 2. To reduce the number of strays, Member States shall be encouraged to identify and use national and private sources of funding for: / (a) free or subsidised neutering campaigns for stray dogs and cats and for pet animals belonging to low-income people or animal protection organisations; / (b) programmes for the registration and identification of pet animals, including by means of microchipping, to facilitate adoption and the return of lost animals to their owners and prevent abandonment; / (c) actions to raise awareness among and educate the population about the responsibility of keeping a pet animal and the negative effects of abandonment on animal welfare and on communities. / 3. Member States may work with non-governmental organisations, veterinary clinics and local authorities to implement the measures referred to in paragraphs 1 and 2 and for the purpose of facilitating access to neutering and identification programmes.

Article 19 – paragraph 1: 1. The competent authorities shall establish and maintain databases for dogs and cats identified and registered in accordance with Article 17 and Article 21(4)

Article 19 – paragraph 2: 2. Member States shall ensure that their databases as referred to in paragraph 1 comply with the requirements laid down by the implementing act referred to in point (b) of paragraph 3 to ensure their interoperability so that the identification of a dog or a cat can be authenticated and traced across the Union.