The European Parliament in Strasbourg is set to vote on Tuesday at 12pm on new rules aimed at improving the protection of dogs and cats.
Under the proposed legislation, animals with harmful physical traits, such as excessively flat snouts or very short legs, would no longer be allowed to be bred, while inbreeding between closely related animals would be strictly prohibited.
The law would also introduce mandatory microchipping for all dogs and cats, with breeders, animal shelters, and private owners responsible for ensuring compliance.
The microchip would contain information on the animal's age, sex, and origin. Private owners would be given a transition period of 10 years for dogs and 15 years for cats.
With these stricter rules, the EU aims in particular to crack down on the illegal trade in animals.
