FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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Practical experience on border controls

Eric Van Tilburgh

FPS Public Health, Food Chain Safety and Environment

Department for Animal Welfare

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

2 Registration of dogs in Belgium

• Mandatory since 1/9/1998

– reasons?

number of dogs euthanized in pet shelters

control of the national market

– when?

• before change of owner

• before age of 4 months

– % of dogs registered?

• estimation from 50 to 90 %

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

5 2011

154 857 registered

* BE 124 648

* SK 10 448* CZ 8 042* NL 5 333* HU 2649 30 209* ES 1 461* FR 950* DE 422* PL 374 * Others 530

• 2975 deaths

• * 217 lost* 62 stolen

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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I. 154 857 new dogs

II. 30 209 imports (intracom trade) ?

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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Shelters: 5 560 registrations

Type of owner

LicenceNumber

Flanders/Walloons/Bruss

Registration

BreederAmateurs

HK 10/11 719 8 856

Professionnal Breeder

HK12/13 118 18 122

Commercial Breeders HK 14/15 89 37 679

Others Non-licenced-private persons

? 84 670

154 857 ? either new puppies

or acquired outside of the register (abroad or not-ID)

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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154 857 ?

Amateur Breeders= between3 et 10 litters/year

8 856 for 719 breeders

- 8 685 BE (98 %)- 171 outside-BE: breeders?

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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154 857 ?

PROFESSIONAL breeders= >10 litters/year without import

18 122 for 118 breeders

- 16 486 BE (90%)- 1 636 outside-BE: breeders?

11 breeders provide 40 % (6 700)3 breeders provide more than 1000 (top 1142)

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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154 857 ?

COMMERCIAL breeders=>10 litters/year + import

37 679 for 82 breeders

* BE 14 411 = 38 %* SK 10 171* CZ 7 943* NL 2 442 = 62 %* HU 2 396* PL 316 10 breeders provide +- 50 % of the total number3 breeders more than 3 000 (top 4089 from which 125 BE, 2285 CZ, 1674 SK)

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

11 154 857 ?

Shelters: dogs without ID

5 560 registrations from which 5 465 BE

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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154 857 ?

84 640 registrations

•BE 78 532 = 93 %* NL 2 621* ES 1 420* FR 896* SK 290 = 7 %* HU 156 * CZ 84* PL 72* others 569

• or born (non-licenced, 1-2 litters/year),

• or acquired without-ID

• or acquired abroad

Without licence:

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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30 209 « imports » ?

* SK 10 448* CZ 8 042* NL 5 333* HU 2649* ES 1 461* FR 950* DE 422* PL 374 * Others 530

Mortality

BE 1,4% NL 2,2%CZ 4,9 %SK 5%

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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30 209 « imports » ?

91% via 4 suppliers

* SK1 : 2322 for 1 BE* SK2 : 1292 for 1 BE* SK3 : 3129 for 7-8* SK4 : 3966 for 7-8

Slovakia

10 448 ABIEC / 11 658 TRACES 1210 either not imported or not

registered

90% via 2 suppliers

* CZ1 : 5 358 for 8 BE* CZ2 : 2 514 for 3 BE

Czech Republic

8042 ABIEC / 8 840 TRACES 798 either not imported or not

registered

Collection centers ?

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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30 209 « imports » ?

98% via 1 supplier (1 158)

NL

5 333 ABIEC / 1 171 TRACES

4162 either not imported or not

registered

FR

950 ABIEC / 123 TRACES

827 either not imported or not registered

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

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30 209 « imports » ?

Galgos?

ES

• 1 461 ABIEC / 225 TRACES 1236 either not imported or not registered

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

17 European passport

• conclusions

–registration is necessary in order to allow for efficient

implementation of R998/2003

–practicing veterinarians often underestimate the importance

of the European passport and the data recorded herein

- TRACES system is not always reliable

=> The situation today implies serious risks regarding public

health as well as animal health and welfare

FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

Modifications in European Passport

- Passports to be delivered

by a vet

-Owner has to sign on the

first page

-A plastic film has to be

applied across the dog’s ID

BUT:

-Registration is still not

mandatory (vet has to keep

register)

-Passport can be replaced by

another

- No link between TRACES

and passport

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FPS PUBLIC HEALTH, FOOD CHAIN SAFETY AND ENVIRONMENT

19 Recommendations• ensure tracability (”decisive element” in R998/2003

according to the Court of Justice of the EU)

–registration of all dogs going from one MS to another

•preferably registration of all dogs

–consultation of all registration data by competent authorities of MS

•1 European database <-> search engine linked to different national

databases

–ban on the systematic replacement of passports

–raising awareness of veterinarians on the importance of correct

implementation of the European passport