My Department has overall policy responsibility for the Dog Breeding Establishments Act 2010 and the Control of Dogs Acts 1986 to 2014. As the Deputy will be aware, animal welfare, including dog welfare, is under the remit of the Department of Agriculture, Food and the Marine (DAFM). My Department is working with DAFM to co-ordinate efforts in the area of dog control across government, and has provided observations to DAFM on a range of issues in the draft EU Regulation referred to, including in relation to hunt clubs.
I am informed that the proposed EU Regulation on the Welfare of Dogs and Cats and their Traceability proposes to establish uniform EU rules for the welfare of dogs and cats kept in breeding establishments, pet shops and shelters and to introduce strict traceability rules for sale and supply of dogs and cats in order to strengthen safeguards for consumers when purchasing pets.
This Regulation is intended to strengthen controls in Europe in relation to illegal trading operations in relation to commercial sale and supply of dogs and cats and, in addition, to strengthen controls in relation to commercial import of dogs and cats into the EU.
There will be a lead-in period of a number of years for implementation of provisions under this Regulation.
When the final agreed text of the Regulation is published, each Member State will then determine what establishments in their country fall within the three categories of breeding establishments, pets shops or shelters.
