This is a major advance that has been adopted by Wallonia in terms of animal welfare. A new decree will include rules to be respected so that the breeding of dogs and cats takes place with respect and the well-being of these animals.
The importation of puppies and kittens for resale will soon be prohibited. The goal? Give priority to quality farms in Wallonia. Most puppies arrive from Eastern countries, more or less 7000 per year and often in poor health.
It is precisely the 1is July 2023 that this ban will come into effect. Good news for Sébastien De Jonge, director of the ASBL ‘Sans collier’. “Thanks to the reform, it may be easier to find them a new home” he explains.
Céline Tellier, Walloon Minister for Animal Welfare, explains: “We also impose the fact that the animal is kept with other similar animals to also work on the sociability of the animal“.
Expected for several years, this reform of animal welfare provides for several measures. First of all the size of the cages which will have to be larger as well as compulsory training for at least one person per refuge, from 2026.