Reports
EU Dog & Cat Alliance

EU Dog & Cat Alliance

The EU Dog & Cat Alliance is a coalition launched in 2014 to represent and advocate for the welfare of dogs and cats across the European Union. It aggregates more than 90 member organizations from 25 EU Member States, including veterinary bodies, animal rescue, rehoming organizations, and welfare-focused NGOs. This diversity provides the Alliance with broad expertise to effectively lobby EU institutions such as the European Commission, European Parliament, and European Council to promote and improve legislation related to companion animals.

The Alliance’s primary mission is to promote legislation aimed at enhancing the welfare of dogs and cats, especially in the areas of breeding, trade, movement, and care within the EU. It advocates for harmonized standards on issues like dog and cat identification and registration, responsible breeding practices, combatting puppy and kitten farming, and ensuring health and welfare in commercial and non-commercial contexts. The Alliance also collaborates with other key stakeholders including NGOs, experts, and civil society to build consensus and share information.

Several reports and studies, some initiated by or involving the Alliance, have highlighted the economic importance of the dog and cat sector (with pet food, health products, and care services representing billions of euros annually) and called for EU-wide harmonization of welfare standards. The Alliance emphasizes the need to tackle welfare problems linked to commercial practices such as irresponsible breeding and cross-border trade.

Beyond lobbying for legal reform, the Alliance acts as a platform for its members to exchange knowledge, gather robust evidence, and develop position papers on pertinent issues like the international rehoming of pets and online pet advertising. It has established advisory groups focused on specific topics, such as advertising standards.

The Alliance also hosts conferences and symposiums, highlighting issues such as flat-faced dog breeding, puppy marketing, and the emerging risks of commercial pet trade networks. It strives to influence policy not only through direct lobbying but also by generating awareness and evidence-based dialogue within the EU institutions and among the public.

Overall, the EU Dog & Cat Alliance is a leading actor in European companion animal welfare advocacy, aligning animal health and welfare objectives with EU policymaking to create a more humane and regulated environment for dogs and cats throughout Europe

  • Founded: 2014

  • Members: Over 90 organizations from 25 EU Member States and the UK

  • Focus: Lobbying to improve EU legislation affecting dog and cat welfare

  • Key areas: Breeding, trading, identification, registration, welfare standards, commercial practices, responsible ownership

  • Activities: Lobbying, research, coalition-building, information sharing, advocacy campaigns, advisory groups

No related lobbyists found.

  • Animal welfare

  • Companion animal health

  • Veterinary legislation

  • Commercial trade and market regulation for pets

  • Public health related to animal movement

The EU Dog & Cat Alliance collaborates and networks extensively with:

  • Member welfare organizations (veterinary organizations, rescue and rehoming groups) across EU countries

  • European Commission, Parliament, and Council officials

  • NGOs working on animal welfare (e.g., RSPCA, World Animal Protection, Four Paws, International Fund for Animal Welfare)

  • Advisory groups and stakeholders in pet food industry and veterinary medicine sectors

  • European Pet Food Industry Federation (FEDIAF) and other industry contacts

  • Other EU-wide animal welfare coalitions and campaigns

Exact financial data on spending is not fully available in the public domain. The EU Transparency Register for the Alliance does not disclose detailed yearly expenditures, but estimates suggest the Alliance spends on lobbying activities including EU institution engagement, research, and events. The budget typically ranges within tens to hundreds of thousands of euros annually for lobby and advocacy purposes. Precise breakdown by year is not accessible from available sources.

The Alliance primarily engages with:

  • European Commission (Directorates related to Health and Food Safety, Animal Welfare)

  • European Parliament (Committees on Environment, Public Health, and Food Safety)

  • Council of the European Union (working groups on veterinary and animal health policy)

  • EU agencies involved in animal health and welfare research

Since registration, the EU Dog & Cat Alliance has held and participated in numerous meetings with EU institution officials, MEPs, and other stakeholders. These include:

  • Annual Alliance member meetings presenting campaigns and research

  • Informal and formal meetings with European Commission officials on regulatory proposals

  • Briefings and workshops for MEPs on issues like puppy markets, flat-faced dog breeding, and pet advertising

  • Conferences such as the 2013 European conference on dog and cat welfare

  • Advisory group sessions on pet advertising and welfare legislation updates

Full detailed lists of meetings from registration to June 2025 are not publicly enumerated in available open-source data.

X-twitter Youtube