GREECE Refusal to issue TRACES to NGOs or individuals

Transcription

1 Identification, vaccination and movement of dogs and cats in the EU: How to improve the Pet Passport and TRACES systems? GREECE Refusal to issue TRACES to NGOs or individuals The recent case-law Pfotenhilfe Ungarn Irini Molfessi Brussels June 2016

2 Identification, vaccination and movement of dogs and cats in the EU: How to improve the Pet Passport and TRACES systems? Jean-Claude Juncker s dog, Plato, was rescued by a German organization from a Greek island and is now living in Luxembourg A true European Pedigree

3 Identification, vaccination and movement of dogs and cats in the EU: How to improve the Pet Passport and TRACES systems? Frans Timmermans, the Vice president of the EU commission, adopted Greek dog, Ouzo, from an animal shelter in Maastricht

4 Aug 9, :00 am ET In Juncker s European Commission Dog Owners Outnumber Cat Lovers The Internet may be made of cats, but in the European Commission, the European Union executive...it s dogs and their masters who are in a majority.

5 Dog owner Commissioners President of the European Commission, Jean-Claude Juncker, Vice president of the EU commission, Frans Timmermans ( 2dogs), Polish commissioner for internal market legislation, Elżbieta Bieńkowska (3 dogs), British commissioner for financial services, Jonathan Hill (2 dogs), Greek Home affairs commissioner Dimitris Avramopoulos (2dogs), Cypriot commissioner Christos Stylianides (1 dog), Slovenian Transport commissioner Violeta Bulc (1 dog), Estonian vice-president for Digital Single Market, Andrus Ansip (a dog and a cat), Maltese commissioner for fisheries, Karmenu Vella (2 dogs who recently passed away), Vice-president for the nascent energy union, Maroš Šefčovič (a dog), German commissioner for digital policies, Günther Oettinger (a mixed breed), Danish commissioner for EU competition, Margrethe Vestager (a golden retriever) and owner Commissioners Lithuanian Commissioner for Health &Food safety Vytenis Andriukaitis, Finnish Commissioner for Investment &Competitiveness Jyrki Katainen, Latvian Former Prime Minister and Commissioner for The Euro and Social Dialogue, Valdis Dombrovskis -a cat, Czech Republic Justice Commissioner, Vera Jourova, Swedish commissioner for trade, Cecilia Malmström, Bulgarian vice-president in charge of budget, anti-fraud and human resources Kristalina Georgieva

6 Identification, vaccination and movement of dogs and cats in the EU: How to improve the Pet Passport and TRACES systems? Greece - brief overview Owned animals increasing numbers of pets low awareness of responsible ownership Low level of care, extreme neglect and abuse especially in rural areas Very high breeding rates - intentional (legal/illegal breeding) - unintentional (don t bother to neuter) Strays Massive population of strays Struggling to survive in rural areas Some level of care in urban areas mass poisoning

7 Identification, vaccination and movement of dogs and cats in the EU: How to improve the Pet Passport and TRACES systems? Protection of strays in hands of citizens and NGOs More than stray dogs and cats neutered every year on citizens initiative, without any support from the State Greece - brief overview Sadly neutered animals are poisoned pet shops inexhaustible supply of alleged pure breeds hinder adoptions

8 Identification, Registration and Traceability Mandatory identification and registration since but not enforced Veterinary Association database ( ), unreliable New, Ministry database (2016), dysfunctional Time consuming (clogged access) Older vets cannot use technology Many rural areas left out (difficult or no internet) Many data lost

9 MOVEMENT OF PETS TRACEABILITY Before 2015 Greek Authorities refused to issue health certificates All pet movements under non-commercial travel scheme Since 2015 (EU576) Greek authorities refuse to issue TRACES All pet movements under non-commercial travel scheme

10 CROSS BORDER ADOPTIONS

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13 The biggest source of suffering and death of companion animals is caused by illegal breeding and trade. Conference on the welfare of dogs and cats in the EU Brussels 28 Oct 2013

14 Greek rescue Vaios, "Germanys next Top - Strayler" 2016

15 MOVEMENT OF PETS

16 GREECE Refusal to issue TRACES to NGOs or individuals Screenshot of TRACES WEBSITE

17 GREECE Refusal to issue TRACES to NGOs or individuals List of Competent Authorities and member state administrators Greece

18 GREECE Refusal to issue TRACES to NGOs or individuals April 2016: Mrs X wants to rehome 2 dogs to Germany. Dogs are fully vaccinated, microchipped, have pet passport Mrs X is aware that TRACES is required and asks Member State administrator information as to correct procedures Ministry answers as to which fields are mandatory in the health certificate that will be issued through TRACES With written answer in hand, Mrs X goes to Ministry Official to get TRACES health certificate Protocol number

19 GREECE Refusal to issue TRACES to NGOs or individuals Form for non-commercial movement from third countries What Mrs X is given is a handwritten heath certificate for non-commercial movement from third countries Hand written indication that dog is vaccinated against rabies no number- no stamp

20 GREECE Refusal to issue TRACES to NGOs or individuals Stamp of the Hellenic Republic Name and signature of Official Veterinarian

21 Refusal to issue TRACES to NGOs or individuals Resulting in: Large numbers of rehomed pets travelling with less stringent safety rules Animal Health issue Public health issue Rehoming done underground instead of in full transparency Confusion between rehoming and pet trafficking Confusion benefits traffickers and conceals true trafficking

22 The case-law Pfotenhilfe Ungarn

23 The recent case-law Pfotenhilfe Ungarn Attorney General Sharpston in case-law Pfotenhilfe Ungarn: underlined legislative void on movement of pets for rehoming by AW associations highlighted the need for a new legislation on pet movements carried out by associations bearing a non-profit/charity status

24 THANK YOU