EU legislators have agreed on the first ever regulation dedicated to the welfare of cats and dogs, marking an important milestone in efforts to combat illegal breeding and trade and raise standards for companion animals across Europe. 

The new regulation introduces full identification and registration requirements for any cat or dog placed on the market. This traceability aims to prevent illegal breeders and traders from operating undetected, while ensuring animals can be followed through official systems. 

Minimum welfare standards for breeders will also be strengthened. These rules are intended to curb irresponsible breeding practices and tighten oversight of breeding establishments. However, only larger facilities producing over five litters per year will fall under the approval scheme, raising concerns about whether small-scale and unregulated breeders will remain unchecked. 

The regulation also prohibits breeding and showing of animals with harmful exaggerated physical traits, such as extremely flat faces, protruding eyes or excessive skin folds. This step responds to years of evidence showing that such traits, bred for appearance rather than function, can cause lifelong suffering. 

Despite these advances, the regulation leaves significant gaps. Hunting dogs, livestock guardian dogs, farm cats and other working animals are excluded, meaning an estimated 18 million cats and 2 million dogs in the EU will not be covered by the new protections. 

What this means for Greece 

The impact of this regulation is highly relevant to Greece, where a combination of unregistered breeders, high stray populations and the movement of animals across borders makes tracking and safeguarding animals particularly challenging. 

Full registration and identification requirements have the potential to: 

• Improve monitoring of breeding establishments 

• Reduce illegal or irresponsible breeding 

• Support better enforcement of existing animal protection laws 

• Create clearer accountability for the movement and sale of animals 

Over time, improved traceability could also support more accurate data collection on the number of owned, stray and breeding animals in Greece, informing national and local policy. 

However, the exclusion of working animals presents a significant concern in the Greek context. Hunting dogs, sheepdogs and free-roaming cats around farms and settlements make up a large portion of the country’s unprotected animal population. Without inclusion in the regulation, these animals remain vulnerable to neglect, poor breeding practices and limited oversight. 

Further progress will be needed to ensure consistency in welfare standards across all regions of Greece, especially in rural and island communities where breeding oversight and record systems are already limited. 

A step forward, but not a complete solution 

Serafina Avramidou, Animal Welfare Manager at Animal Action Greece, commented: 

“This regulation represents an important step forward and acknowledges the need to improve welfare standards for cats and dogs across Europe. For Greece, it brings welcome opportunities for better traceability and oversight of breeding and sales. However, the exclusion of working animals and millions of free-roaming animals means there is still a great deal of work ahead. Effective implementation and further legislative progress are essential if we are to protect all animals, regardless of their role or location.” 

At Animal Action Greece, we welcome this development while recognising that important gaps remain. All animals deserve protection, and we will continue to advocate for legislation and enforcement that reflects this principle.