Christmas: Unethical Animal Breeding Booms During the Holidays
The demand for dogs and cats reaches peak levels over the holidays, fuelling the dark pet industry.
The high demand for kittens and puppies during the Christmas season fuels a hidden industry of unethical breeding and trade.
Not only do we all bear individual responsibility, but the EU also has the opportunity to significantly improve the lives of cats and dogs through its new legislative proposal on their welfare and traceability.
Peak Demand Around the Holidays
As many consumers seek puppies, kittens and other companion animals to give as gifts during the holidays, unethical breeders ramp up production to maximise profits.
Facilities such as puppy farms keep animals in inadequate conditions, with no regard for their welfare, and breed continuously to maximise the number of litters produced.
Other breeders show no consideration for the genetic or physical health of their animals, producing animals that suffer throughout their lives, such as brachycephalic dogs and cats.
Online marketplaces have now become the most common place to find and purchase companion animals. With no oversight or verification, breeders can easily misrepresent the animals they sell and publish misleading information about their background, health and other characteristics.
Irresponsible Ownership
Once the excitement of a new pet wears off, many animals are abandoned at shelters or even left to fend for themselves as strays.
Shelters are frequently overwhelmed with surrendered animals in the new year and struggle to find suitable new homes.
How could the EU act?
The European Parliament will shortly begin work on the proposed legislation on the welfare and traceability of dogs and cats.
There are still a number of improvements needed to ensure that no pet slips through the net. These include stricter regulations for online marketplaces and an unconditional mandatory identification and registration requirement for animals.
Furthermore, cats and dogs are not the only ones suffering from the unethical pet industry. If the proposal were extended to cover all pets, the EU could significantly improve the lives of these animals.
