April 2026

What’s Hot … European Union Welfare of Dogs and Cats and Their Traceability Legislation is Informally Approved

 

Kelly Crouch, CFA Legislative Information Liaison

The Welfare of Dogs and Cats and Their Traceability Legislation is one large step closer to becoming law. Originally proposed in 2023, the legislation will impact fanciers, breeders, pet sellers, animal shelters, and pet owners across the European Union. It creates standards for breeding, housing, traceability, import, and handling of cats and dogs.

The European Parliament and the Council of the European Union negotiated hundreds of amendments to the act. They approved the legislation in an informal plenary vote, with 558 in favor, 35 against, and 52 abstentions (https://www.europarl.europa.eu/news/en/press-room/20251121IPR31539/protection-of-dogs-and-cats-deal-on-eu-rules-to-stop-abuse). The first EU-wide animal law needs only to be adopted by the Council to be enforced.

Provisions include, but are not limited to, the following:

  • Breeding between parents and offspring, grandparents with grandchildren, and between siblings and half-siblings will be prohibited.
  • Breeding cats and dogs to cause exaggerated or excessive physical traits that “lead to significant health risks” is also banned.
  • Animals with such traits or that are “mutilated” cannot be used in shows, exhibitions, or competitions.
  • Mandatory microchipping and registration in a national database of all cats and dogs in the EU.
  • Imported cats and dogs, whether for sale or not, must be microchipped and registered in a national database.
  • National databases within the EU must be interoperable.

Member States are responsible for enforcement, but may have more restrictive laws if they so desire.

What’s Hot … New York Bills Would Force Virtually Every Breeder to be State Licensed

 

Kelly Crouch, CFA Legislative Information Liaison

Introduced in 2025, identical bills AB 8653B and SB 8252B would require most small in-home breeders to obtain a pet breeder license, subject to commercial breeder requirements and consumer protection provisions. A single litter in a year could put someone over the threshold if it is large enough. Two litters would definitely be courting licensure requirements. The bills remove the twenty-five-animal sale exception and define a pet dealer as:

“‘Pet breeder’ shall mean any person who breeds animals and sells, or offers to sell, more than nine animals per year, born and  raised  on such person’s premises, directly to a consumer.”

The bills have been amended twice (hence the B in the number). Originally, the threshold was a lifetime one rather than a per-year one, but the born and raised problem remains. Most of the changes affecting breeders clean up the language changes required by the 2024 New York Puppy Mill Pipeline Act. The bills also add:

“Except as provided in subdivision two of this section, the transfer of a dog, cat, or rabbit for profit, including, but not limited to, the sale, offer for sale, lease, offer for lease, arrangement, or negotiation of such animals, is hereby prohibited No person, firm, corporation, partnership,  or other legal entity shall transfer such animals in violation of this section.

2. The prohibition on the transfer of dogs, cats, and rabbits prescribed in subdivision one of this section shall not apply to the following:

(a) pet breeders, as defined in section  seven  hundred  fifty-two  of this article; or

(b)  any other person who breeds and sells, or offers to sell, dogs, cats, or rabbits, born and raised on such person’s premises, directly to a consumer.”

Both bills have been recommitted to the agriculture committee in their respective houses, but neither has yet been assigned a public hearing. Senate Deputy Leader Gianaris, sponsor of the Senate bill, was recognized by ASPCA with the National “Champion for Animals” Award in 2022 and plans to retire at the end of 2026. Assemblywoman Linda Rosenthal is the primary sponsor for AB 8653 and AB 107, a bill recognizing animal sentience.

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