EU regulation on dogs and cats: microchips and new rules

Photo: Unsplash (free licence).

This is the first time the European Union has adopted common rules on how dogs and cats are bred, sold and identified. The aim is to curb illegal trade, particularly online, and to make sure every animal can be traced from birth or from its entry into the EU.

What Regulation (EU) 2026/1818 is and when it applies

The European Parliament and the Council signed the regulation on 17 June 2026, and it was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on 10 August. It entered into force twenty days after publication, but its obligations are being phased in:

• 31 August 2028: general application of the regulation.
• 31 August 2030: deadline for sellers of dogs and cats to meet the identification and registration requirements.
• 31 August 2036: deadline for private dog owners who do not sell their animals.
• 31 August 2041: deadline for private cat owners.

As an EU regulation, it applies directly in every Member State, with no need for national implementing legislation.

Microchips and registration: what changes for owners

All dogs and cats will need a transponder (microchip) and must be entered in national databases that can communicate with one another. Until now, EU rules only required a microchip for travel between countries or entry into the EU.

In Spain the change will be smaller, because Law 7/2023 and regional rules already require dogs, cats and ferrets to be identified. Even so, it is worth checking that your details on the register are up to date: that is what will allow you to be contacted if your pet goes missing anywhere in the Union.

Walks, breeding and sales: the new welfare rules

Alongside traceability, the regulation sets minimum welfare standards. These are the most relevant for families:

• Dogs over eight weeks old must have daily access to the outdoors or be walked, for a combined minimum of one hour a day.
• Long-term tethering and keeping animals in cages or crates are banned, except in exceptional circumstances.
• Procedures such as ear or tail docking may only be carried out by a vet, and only for veterinary reasons.
• Mating between parents and offspring, siblings, half-siblings or grandparents and grandchildren is banned, with exceptions to conserve local breeds.
• Breeders with more than five litters a year or more than five breeding females will need authorisation and will appear on a public list.

For anyone buying a puppy online, the most useful change is that adverts must carry a responsible-ownership notice and a free verification code to check the animal’s identification, registration and ownership. Occasionally giving away a litter to family or neighbours, no more than once every 24 months, does not count as trade.

Bub’s 120 cm leadView productReflective nylon harnessView productChipz dog bed, beigeView product

What you can do now

• Ask your vet to scan the microchip and check on your regional register that your phone number and address are correct.
• If you are adopting or buying, insist that the animal is identified and registered in your name, and be wary of adverts without verifiable details.
• Plan a routine of walks and outdoor time adding up to at least one hour a day.
• Keep the vaccination record or pet passport together with the registration certificate.

See more dog leads, collars and harnesses and dog beds.

Frequently asked questions

This article is for information only and does not constitute legal advice. For specific cases, consult the official text or a professional.

Keep reading

• Dog and cat microchips: how to check and update your details
• Travelling in Europe with a dog or cat: documents and requirements
• Adopting a dog or cat: key questions and what to prepare

Sources:

• Regulation (EU) 2026/1818 of 17 June 2026 (BOE, reference DOUE-L-2026-81291)
• Jaén Veterinary Association: Regulation (EU) 2026/1818
• ConSalud: Europe tightens the rules for dogs and cats (19 August 2026)