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Tomorrow In Brussels Historic Chance For Dogs And Cats In Europe

13 years ago
2966 views

Posted
26th October, 2010 14h54


Updated Brussels, 27 October 2010: A historic decision for the welfare of companion animals in the EU has been made by the Councils’ Working Group of Veterinary Experts, just a few days after an international conference on ‘Dog Responsible Ownership in Europe’, where the EU was asked to take over this issue. This act, expected to be passed by the Council of Ministers, might originate the greatest improvement for companion animals’ welfare in European history. A historic decision for the welfare of companion animals in the EU might be made by the Councils’ Working Party of Veterinary Experts on Wednesday 27 October, just a few days after an international conference on ‘Dog Responsible Ownership in Europe’, where the EU was asked to take over this issue. Tomorrow the Council’s Working Group is going to discuss the possibility of recognising dog and cat welfare as an issue, where EU legislation has to be harmonised because of deep discrepancies among the Member States. So far, the welfare of companion animals has been considered as part of subsidiarity and, as such, entirely delegated to Member States. This new decision follows many years of growing EU commitment to animal welfare, visible in the new Art. 13 of the Lisbon Treaty, in some legislation and in the first Community Action Plan on the Protection and Welfare of Animals 2006-2010, whose second part is expected in the coming months. The international conference ‘Responsible Dog Ownership in Europe’[1] organised by VIER PFOTEN/FOUR PAWS and Istituto G. Caporale, held in Brussels on 4 and 5 October 2010 at the presence of over 100 participants from over 25 countries, made clear that most Member States were failing to respond adequately to dog overpopulation, to the increase of stray animal population in general and to EU citizens’ concerns on dog – and other companion animals – welfare. Marlene Wartenberg, Director of the European Policy Office of VIER FOTEN / FOUR PAWS said: ‘We could hear in our Conference a few days ago authoritative representatives of EU institutions and from Members States explain the reasons for the urgent need of EU action for the welfare of companion animals. It is evident that the increase of canine overpopulation leads to brutality toward dogs and cats, to illegal puppy trade and to suffering stray animals. This is of deep concern for European citizens. We urge the Member States to respond with a convinced mandate to the European Commission to start an EU-wide harmonisation based on the principle of responsible ownership of companion animals”. Within the Belgian Presidency VIER PFOTEN/FOUR PAWS and the Istituto G. Caporale launched the website www.carodog.eu aimed to provide, generate and disseminate reliable knowledge about dogs’ health and welfare in Europe. This website, launched with the support of the Federation of Veterinarians of Europe (FVE) and of the European Commission (DG SANCO) is therefore a valuable tool already available to European citizens and institutions if tomorrow the Council will decide to respond positively to the concerns of EU citizens, and of their best friends.

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