Animal health and welfare are deeply interconnected, but does one necessarily come before the other? On the 12th of February, FVE and AnimalhealthEurope’s webinar explored the dynamic relationship between animal health and welfare in the EU and the progress on making for the first time ever EU rules on the traceability and welfare of dogs and cats.
FVE executive Director Nancy De Briyne discussed with the European Parliament rapporteur on the proposal on the welfare of dogs and cats and their traceability, highlighting the responsibility of Official Vets in the approval of breeding establishments, Veronika Vrecionová, Pierre Sultana from AnimalhealthEurope and Iwona Mertin from Eurogroup for Animals the challenges and opportunities in ensuring optimal welfare for cats and dogs in the EU. From providing veterinary advice to ensuring access to vaccines and other health products for animal wellbeing, the panel examined how different stakeholders contribute to improving animal health and welfare across Europe.
The next steps for the proposal on the cat and dog traceability and welfare: European Parliament Committee vote in March or April, going to Plenary before summer, after which the institutional negotiation will start between the different EU institutions. If all goes well, the act will be adopted before the end of this year.
